Gary Neville accuses Manchester United board of 'playing Football Manager with the biggest club in the world'

It is understood that Mourinho retains the full backing of the board but Neville is furious with how the club are handling the situation

Gary Neville has accused the Manchester United board of "playing Football Manager with the biggest club in the world" and said "the tail is wagging the dog".

Jose Mourinho's future looks more precarious than ever with suggestions on Friday evening that the club are set to sack the Portuguese this weekend regardless of the result against Newcastle later today.

It is understood that Mourinho retains the full backing of the board and will be given the upcoming international break and beyond to turn around United's disappointing start to the season.

Asked if it would be the right decision to sack Mourinho, he said after a long pause: "No. To be honest I'm furious. I'm furious going back three, four years ago when David Moyes was sacked, when it broke a day before to journalists.

"I think of Louis van Gaal being sacked the evening of a cup final and finding out from other people. I think about how the club's been operated.

"If this is true, we don't know if it's true but if this is true and Jose Mourinho is going to walk out at Old Trafford tomorrow, as almost like a dead man walking, those fans will absolutely turn towards that boardroom. It's unacceptable.

"And I have to say that Jose Mourinho will get the biggest support he's ever had in his life tomorrow I think in that ground. And I'll be there to give it to him.

"Because if this is true and it's broken the day before it's going to happen and he's going to be sacked after the game or at the weekend, it's an absolute disgrace.

"Where's the values and the principles of Manchester United if this is true? That the journalists find out and it isn't announced at the right time?

"At the end of the day this is now going on five or six years and I have to say that any manager - Jose Mourinho is one of the best managers in the world - and I think in this moment in time any manager would struggle in that football club, the way in which it operates.

Neville is furious with how the club are handling the Mourinho situation (AFP/Getty Images)

"And enough is enough for me. I love that football club, I absolutely love it to death, it's been my life, it's given me everything, and I'm not turning on my football club, (but) I have to say something has to change and it isn't the manager, it's above that.

"And I'm furious that we're stood here thinking that there's a report that's broken out... journalists don't break stories of this nature unless they're absolutely certain.

"I hope it's not true, but if it is true I think it's an absolute disgrace. It comes to a point where they've had the chance to appoint three managers. This could be the fourth manager in six years.

"You have to start looking at the people who are appointing the manager, not the manager. It's the people who are bringing in the players and sanctioning the deals, the people who are overspending on players, the people who are allowing the tail to wag the dog.

"The dressing room is leading what is happening and the tail is wagging the dog at the football club. Get some control back, get some leadership.

He added: "The people in the boardroom who are overseeing the football operation are nowhere near good enough. They are not qualified. They are playing Football Manager with the biggest club in the world.

"Stop it. Put people in there who are qualified."