Noel Gallagher has brutal Oasis analogy when asked about Unai Emery to Man United rumours

Jan 6, 2026 - 08:15

Noel Gallagher had a brutal music analogy to explain why Unai Emery should not take the Manchester United job.

The Oasis icon, and diehard Manchester City fan, was a guest on Monday’s talkSPORT Drive and he had plenty to say after the news of Ruben Amorim’s sacking by his bitter rivals.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim at Villa Park — Amorim’s 14-month stint at Old Trafford has come to an end

Amorim was dismissed as United boss on Monday, just 24 hours after an explosive press conference following his side’s 1-1 draw with Leeds.

Speaking to the media, the Portuguese launched a surprise attack on the club’s hierarchy, who swiftly moved to relieve him of his duties.

With the Red Devils facing a huge task of replacing Amorim midway through the season, some early contenders for the role have emerged, while former midfielder Darren Fletcher has been placed in interim charge.

Recently departed Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner are among the bookmakers’ favourites.

Former England boss Gareth Southgate, and Aston Villa’s Unai Emery are also early names to be thrown in the hat.

Man United are ‘living in the past’

Both Southgate and Emery were the topic of conversation when Gallagher appeared on Monday’s Drive, who was only too happy to discuss his bitter rivals’ misfortune.

And the Oasis icon made sure to put avid United fan and talkSPORT host Andy Goldstein in his place, after he claimed Emery would jump at the chance to take the United job, insisting Aston Villa are the smaller club.

The Villans are currently third in the Premier League table, with United sixth, and have finished the higher of the two teams in each of the last two campaigns.

Setting Goldstein straight, Gallagher said: “I think you’re living in the past there a little bit.

“It used to be that job and players going there used to be the pinnacle in English football, right? It isn’t anymore. A player would be absolutely insane to go there.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery — Emery has turned Aston Villa into a regular European outfit in recent years

Noel Gallagher. — Avid Man City Gallagher was only too happy to discuss the current situation at Old Trafford

“The only reason you would go there is for money because the whole club is in ruins.

“And there’s too many voices on the outside, you know, [Gary] Neville, [Rio] Ferdinand, all that mob – you can’t do wrong for doing right at that club.”

Then came the brutal dig, as Gallagher likened Villa to his legendary band Oasis, and Man United to fellow 90s group The Libertines.

He said: “If it was me, it’d be like asking to leave Oasis and go and join the Libertines.”

Scholes and Keane called out

The legendary music figure also had strong words for some of United’s legendary figures who have forged careers in the media.

After calling out Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand, Gallagher went on to single out Paul Scholes and Roy Keane as other icons whose comments he feels are negatively affecting the club.

Neville has become one of English football’s biggest pundits since retiring from football in 2011[/caption]

He continued: “I just think that pair like the sound of their own voice and they think their opinions count.

“But the whole ex-Man United player thing, Keane and Scholes – there’s too many of them on telly anyway – they’ve all got the formula. They’ve all got the magic recipe to turn it around.”

Gallagher then insisted Man United have had all the tools necessary to succeed in recent years, highlighting the big name managers who have been in charge since Sir Alex Ferguson‘s departure in 2013.

He added: “If you look at all the managers they’ve had since Ferguson – like [David] Moyes, [Louis] Van Gaal, [Jose] Mourinho – these are all, good managers.

“Moyes is a good manager, do you know what I mean? Mourinho’s a great manager. Van Gaal – he’s a great manager. They manage Barcelona – big, big, big clubs.

“There’s something fundamentally wrong there and nobody seems to know what it is. I think United itself missed a trick when they didn’t sell the club to the Qataris or whoever it was supposed to be.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has drawn criticism since becoming United’s minority stakeholder in February 2024[/caption]

“The only way you can compete is with money these days. And if United aren’t prepared to spend this, Jim Ratcliffe seems to be wanting to do it on a budget, and you’re not going to get Man United back to where it wants to be on a budget.

“You cannot do it. You have to throw a lot of money at that club now.”