'Leeds fans won't like me' - Gary Neville makes huge claim about Leeds United's Willy Gnonto

Leeds fell to their ninth defeat of the Premier League season at Villa Park but 19-year-old Gnonto dazzled in what was still only his ninth appearance for the Whites. The young Italian international continually caused problems down the left flank and set up United's sole strike for Patrick Bamford as part of a display that left Neville purring about what he had seen. The Whites signed Gnonto from FC Zurich for just 4.5m euros last August but Neville felt that the Italian forward already looked like a ‘Manchester City winger’.

Neville said during commentary on Sky Sports: "Leeds fans won't like me for saying this but when you look at a player like Gnonto and you look at how Manchester City play where they play those little passes into those midfield runners, he just looks like a Manchester City winger.

"I'm not selling him off. I'm sure they want to see him for another few years at Leeds United but he looks really really good, so mature in his decision making on the ball. He was exceptional and didn't deserve to be on the losing team.

"I will go away from this game thinking that it's the best atmosphere I have seen at Villa for a long time and also thinking that I've seen a special young talent. He was absolutely exceptional. Honestly, sometimes you see potential and talent and you are excited but I watched him so closely and his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, his choice of when to run with it, his awareness if his team mates, really, really good honestly, to see someone so mature so young, very unusual in that position.”