Monday 22 February 2016 21:02, UK
Gary Neville will be expected to finish the season at Valencia after steadying what appeared to be a sinking ship at the Mestalla, says Sky Sports pundit Terry Gibson.
Neville's upturn in fortunes continued with a third win in a week, Sunday's 2-1 victory at Granada, despite his side riding their luck.
Valencia's victory followed their first league win under Neville at the 10th attempt last weekend when they beat Espanyol 2-1 and then lashed Rapid Vienna 6-0 in the Europa League on Thursday.
Goals from Daniel Parejo and substitute Santi Mina helped them record back-to-back league wins for just the second time this season and with confidence high in the Valencia camp, Gibson feels Neville has now earned the right to decide if he wants to stay or go in the summer.
"It was similar to the week before for Valencia when Espanyol missed a lot of chances. Defensively Gary Neville will be looking at ways to tighten up," Gibson told La Liga weekly podcast.
"They looked good in midweek when they beat Rapid Vienna 6-0 - they were five up at half-time - and on that evidence it looked like the Valencia that we're used to seeing.
"He would be worried that they give away too many chances, but at the same time it does buy him some breathing time to get on with his job and without the threat of the sack every game and without the press hounding him on a daily basis.
"We might just see a regular Valencia. Two weeks ago there were issues about regulation and rightly so - it was 12 games without a win in La Liga. They were four points above relegation at the time, but back-to-back wins takes them 10 points clear of relegation.
"So no relegation issues, no major crisis for Gary Neville. Scoring goals - 10 goals in a week. I believe he will be alright and I think he will stay until the end of the season and I think he will salvage a reputation that could have been damaged had they lost to Espanyol.
"I think everything will be alright at Valencia now. I think Gary Neville will steer them safely through the rest of the season and they could make really good progress in the Europa League.
"They got hammered for getting thrashed by Barcelona, but they did get to the semi-final the Copa Del Rey."
The England coach and former Manchester United defender was appointed manager until the summer and Gibson says if Neville's side maintain their current form, he can walk away a proud man.
"They can sit down in the summer and see if Gary Neville wants to continue with the job or whether Valencia want to go for one of the more experienced managers being linked with the job," he said.
"At the end of it, I think he can walk away from a job well done and most importantly for him, huge lessons learnt, a crash course in his first six months as a manager."
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