By their very nature testimonial football matches are relaxed occasions, and Michael Carrick’s proved a perfect stage for the antics of Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher.
The year 2017 marks 10 years at Manchester United for Carrick, who has won five Premier League titles and the Champions League with the Old Trafford club.
And while some footballers on the pitch had clearly not lost it, Gary Neville provided evidence that he had.
Good effort @GNev2 pic.twitter.com/voL7BvoAo3
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 4, 2017
Patrice Evra’s cross seemed to hang in the air for an age before Neville brought it crashing back to earth with a thunderous effort, which eventually went out, somewhat embarrassingly, for a throw-in.
And things only got worse for the Monday Night Football analyst, as his colleague Carragher saw fit to bring him to the ground by foul means.
The afternoon gets worse for @GNev2 as @Carra23 takes him out! pic.twitter.com/xc4BZFOTXm
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 4, 2017
Any entertaining the notion that the foul was accidental can be dismissed after looking at this tweet from the former Liverpool defender before the game…
Here to support Carrick & his charity but more importantly to snap @GNev2 https://t.co/9QblNfzs7n
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) June 4, 2017
… and this one afterwards.
Respect to @carras16 on a fantastic career that's not yet over. Well deserved testimonial & thanks for giving me the chance to t**t @GNev2 pic.twitter.com/ilqq6YULvw
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) June 4, 2017
But Carra didn’t have it all his own way – Ryan Giggs made sure of that.
Megs! @Carra23 pic.twitter.com/sy2HxlmiGJ
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 4, 2017
The final word goes to Gary, though – thoughts on THAT volley?
The man himself, @gnev2, discusses the worst volley of the year pic.twitter.com/rt21WRjWde
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 4, 2017
No Gary, you can’t say that.