Real Betis vs Valencia - Gary Neville looking to stay positive as he seeks first league win

Posted Saturday, February 06, 2016 by PA

Under-pressure Gary Neville says he is approaching Valencia's crisis in a "positive way" and has called for faith and hard work in a bid to arrest their horror run.

The English coach has yet to win a league game since taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo on December 2 and on Wednesday was humiliated as his men were drubbed 7-0 by Barcelona in the Copa del Rey.

It would appear a win is a must when Neville and his players go to Real Betis on Sunday but the former Manchester United defender was keen to express a sense of perspective at his pre-match media conference.

Quoted on superdeporte.es, he said: "I do not think in those terms (of the game being must-win). I'm thinking that this will change and our effort will be rewarded.

"There are no excuses and we have to win games. I have seen a reaction in the players, we must give them support and I can only think of things in positive terms."

Neville won all there was as a player with United and regular defeats are not something he is accustomed to.

However, as a different kind of spotlight now shines on him, the 40-year-old says what he went through as a player has readied him for tests such as these.

"I'm going through this time in a very positive way but work is the only thing that changes things and you need faith.

"I lost in Champions League semi-finals, finals of the FA Cup and league titles in the last match and that makes you stronger for moments like this. We have to prove to everyone that we can do it."

Neville added that he had spoken to Valencia owner Peter Lim, but that the "passion" of his club's fans inspired him to continue working.

Betis' caretaker manager Juan Merino does not believe all Valencia's ills are down to Neville.

"We all want to stay in our jobs," he said on his club's official website.

"But results are the ones that put you away. It is something that happens to every coach. For us, the club and fans, it is clear that we must win.

"Whenever a coach is dismissed we all know that the coach is not 100 per cent responsible. The players themselves know that a percentage of what is happening is down to them.

"They have great professionals on the staff of Valencia and a good team. They know what happened in Barcelona was not good."

Betis sit 14th in the ladder, three points behind Valencia in 12th.