Neville realises United battle
28 Jun 2008 - 14:54:43
Manchester United captain Gary Neville has conceded he faces a fight to win back his starting place from Wes Brown next season.
The 31-year-old club captain made just one substitute appearance for the Red Devils last season after being sidelined for over 12 months with long-term ankle and Achilles injuries.
Brown made the right-back berth his own during Neville's absence and the veteran defender is realistic over his chances of winning back his first-team place.
"I've got a number of challenges ahead of me and the ultimate one is to try and get back into that team ahead of Wes," he told MUTV.
"That's going to be hard for me given the way Wes performed last season.
"I would say he was in our top two or three most consistent players. He was fantastic throughout the season and deserved all the success he got.
"Pre-season is hugely important for every player, but this time it's massive for me as I try to break into a team that's won the (Premier League and Champions League) double.
"And it's an even greater challenge than normal for the team as we try to repeat the success of last season."
