Jamie Carragher says he still “loves” working on Monday Night Football (MNF) despite co-pundit Gary Neville’s decision to step back from the iconic football programme. Carragher joined the Sky Sports show as a pundit in August 2013, making his debut during a match between Manchester City and Newcastle.
Over the years, the Liverpool legend developed an excellent rapport with former rival and ex-Manchester United captain Neville. Ed Chamberlin initially presented the show, while David Jones has taken over presenting duties in recent years. Neville had joined the MNF team two years before Carragher, stepping in as a replacement for Andy Gray. The duo quickly gained popularity, sharing many memorable on-air moments, from heated debates to light-hearted banter.
But, over the course of the current 2024/25 Premier League season, Neville has been absent from the show, choosing instead to focus on his commentary duties and appearances on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday.
The former England right-back juggles that with his other commitments for Sky, such as his interviews for The Overlap and the Stick to Football podcast, as well as various business interests such as Hotel Football and his stake in League Two club Salford City.
He confirmed his decision to step away from the show in October, stating: “So tomorrow, I’m expected to do set-pieces, whereas with Sky, on Monday Night Football, there are some set pieces which I prepare for – but now I don’t do Monday Night Football anymore, I don’t do set-pieces anymore.”
Carragher, however, remains a regular on MNF, where he frequently offers his insights alongside special guests. He is also a fixture on Stick to Football and leads The Overlap Fan Debate show. And the Reds icon recently stated that, unlike Neville, he has no plans to step down from his MNF role anytime soon, with his colleague’s absence not bothering him.
The former centre-back said on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet: “I love Monday Night Football – that almost feels like you’re playing the game. You’ve got this buzz a few days before and you think about doing something that someone else hasn’t done before.
“I’d hate to be the person that analyses someone else’s analysis. I’d rather be the first to set the agenda or the narrative. When I first started, social media was not washing away everyone else’s analysis. You go on social media and look at a player, you see a huge thread – and it’ll all just be screenshots.
“I don’t necessarily go on social media to specifically check who has done that, but I do follow the bigger accounts. I think, can I find something that nobody else has caught on to yet.”
The pundit now often shares the MNF studio with Karen Carney and occasionally the likes of Roy Keane and Thierry Henry, while Jones has been hosting the show since 2016.
While there’s a chance we might still see Neville on MNF in the future, it appears the emphasis has moved towards featuring special guests rather than the beloved duo of Neville and Carragher that fans have grown accustomed to.
