Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has admitted he is still waiting for the 'penny to drop' with under-pressure defensive trio Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling.

Neville remains a passionate United fan despite his new career as England assistant manager and TV analyst for Sky Sports.

The former Old Trafford full back has claimed the current United defence lacks 'control' but has attributed that to injury problems.

Gary Neville (left, with Roy Hodgson) believes Manchester United defensive trio Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans and Phil Jones still have work to do if they are to develop into reliable players at the highest level

Neville still has great hopes the 'penny will drop' and Smalling will develop into a top-class player

Evans in action during Manchester United's 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday

Jones has also struggled to find consistent form for United at times this season

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW Click here to read Stretty News editor Dale O'Donnell's interview with Gary Neville Advertisement

Meanwhile, he has revealed that United’s three central defenders still have work to do if they are to develop in to proper players at the very highest level.

Neville said: 'When you are with England and you work with the likes of Smalling or Jones, you hope that a manager comes in and grabs them, plays them, trusts and puts belief in them.

'So when David Moyes came in last season we thought that would be good news because David likes British players.

'This season Louis van Gaal has come in. A great coach and someone that worked all over Europe.

'He’ll get them good on the ball, good defensively, in good positions to receive the ball, opening their body out and passing forward with composure.

'For Luke Shaw it’s perfect. The manager believes in attacking full backs and Luke is fantastic going forward. Luke is powerful, quick and hugely talented. Then you want to get a grip on him and mould him into a world-class player.

'Then with the likes of Smalling, Jones and Evans we still have great hopes for that penny to drop.

Neville believes coach Louis van Gaal is the perfect man to get the best out of his defensive players

Luke shaw could fit Van Gaal's idea of an attacking full-back and could develop into a world class player

Neville was a wonderful servant for United, playing in 602 matches over nearly two decades at Old Trafford

'If you remember for many years we had players that potentially had it. Darren Fletcher all of a sudden became the most important person in the team for a few seasons. It was like: ‘Wow, here we go, he’s a player now’.

'Cristiano took two or three seasons and the penny dropped. People have got to remember the frustrating Cristiano to appreciate the great one.

'Aaron Ramsey at Arsenal is another example. You lose a bit of patience at times but you know they have the talent inside them and you think they’ve got the brain and willingness to do it.

'They’re still developing and picking up injuries but when they stop and the penny drops you think: "We’ve lived with his faults, development and now we’re getting the benefit of it."

'There is no doubt that Jones, Smalling and Shaw have talent but they need experience, maturity and injuries to stay clear and they will fly.'

Neville cites the example of midfielder Darren Fletcher, who grew into one of United's indispensable players

Neville also praised Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey (right) as a player who has reached his potential

Neville made his comments in a wide-ranging interview with the Stretty News fanzine and website.

United fans will be interested to hear that he still has hopes for Evans, Jones and Smalling, who have been criticised at times this season as part of United’s much-discussed back three.

Jones is only 22 but Smalling is 25 and Evans 27 which does make some people wonder how long Van Gaal will have to wait for them to reach the potential Neville talks about.

Neville added: 'When I look at the United defence what it lacks is control.

'I see players that have talent but they’re all individually working, not having controlled movements together or in-sync. That comes through understanding and from playing together.

'No manager, whether it’s Sir Alex Ferguson or someone else, over the past three years, would be able to put a consistent defence out there.

'Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Jones, Smalling and Evans all had injuries. Now Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind get injured. I don’t care which manager you are.

Marouane Fellaini celebrates scoring United's opening goal at QPR with Antonio Valencia

Young striker James Wilson sealed United's win at Loftus Road with a goal in stoppage time

United are currently fourth in the Premier League table, 12 points behind the leaders Chelsea

'The reason that Chelsea have the best back four in the league is because they have good players, they play every week without many injuries.

'United have been absolutely blitzed with injuries in those positions for the last three years.

'At times they look all out at sea but you have to say in Louis van Gaal’s defence, he has had Darren Fletcher in defence, Michael Carrick in defence with Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young as wing backs that have done well.

'But if you said last season that Louis van Gaal’s going to come in and Young is going to be a left back, you’d start laughing. You’d laugh your head off but he’s been fantastic.

'There has been so many changing formations, systems and personel that it’s so difficult to get that sense of control in-between the units. That’s all it lacks.'

Antonio Valencia evades a challenge from QPR's Clint Hill during Saturday's match in London

Ashley Young has enjoyed a renaissance as an attacking full back under Van Gaal this season

Asked elsewhere in the interview which are his three favourite United players, Neville mentions Wayne Rooney and Angel di Maria but is unstinting in his praise of Michael Carrick.

He added: 'I love Carrick. I have respect for Carrick.

'You never hear anyone that’s played with Carrick at Manchester United have a bad word to say about him.

'Ultimate professional, understanding and loves the club by the way.

'Don’t get bought into this: ‘Michael Carrick doesn’t show passion’ and all that crap. He loves Manchester United.

'You see him on a team night out when we won the league and he can be the loudest of the lot.

'So, the idea that Michael Carrick just comes in as a bit of a mouse that does his job unnoticeably is rubbish.

'If you look at Louis van Gaal at the start of the season and we were struggling, ask yourself who wasn’t playing? Michael Carrick wasn’t playing.

Neville rates Michael Carrick as one of his favourite members of the Manchester United squad

Carrick fights for the ball with Eduardo Vargas of Queens Park Rangers during Saturday's match

'Now he’s playing and the club went on a great unbeaten run. I think he would be first or second on Louis van Gaal’s team-sheet because he brings control and authority.

'Manchester United fans get it. I wanted Bryan Robson and someone to run through brick walls and coming out with bandages wrapped around his head. That’s what Manchester United fans want.

'But then when you play with Michael Carrick you think there is authority, control, peace.

'When you are on a football pitch playing against Liverpool or Manchester City, you need peace around you as well.

'You sometimes don’t want people running around like blue-arse flies.

'Scholes and Carrick together was peaceful. It was like going into a bar and hearing a piano playing. It’s relaxing.

'Listening to some good rock is good and you like that too but sometimes it’s nice to listen to a piano. Carrick’s a piano.'