Rio Ferdinand has blasted Manchester United‘s ‘dour and lifeless’ performance after they were beaten by Premier League basement boys Sheffield United at Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men went into the game in fine form and were riding high after knocking arch-rivals Liverpool out of the FA Cup in emphatic fashion last weekend.
Their run has put them into the title picture and a win at Old Trafford on Wednesday would have moved them back above rivals Manchester City to the summit of the Premier League table.
Rio Ferdinand has blasted Manchester United for their ‘lifeless’ display against Sheffield Utd
High-flying United fell to a shock 2-1 defeat by the Blades at Old Trafford on Wednesday
However, in what is one of the shock results of the season so far, United slumped to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Chris Wilder’s Blades, who have been rooted to the bottom of the table since the opening day in what was the worst start to a season by any team in Premier League history.
And Ferdinand didn’t hold back when asked for his assessment of his former club after the defeat at Old Trafford.
‘They didn’t have that zip about them. From minute one, really, there wasn’t that cut and thrust we’ve seen from United,’ Ferdinand told BT Sport after the final whistle.
‘Credit Sheffield United, Chris Wilder set them up very well, but United didn’t ask the questions. Bruno Fernandes, who they’ve relied on so heavily in recent weeks, months, didn’t get it going today. Paul Pogba the same.
It was the visitors’ second league win of the season, which left Ferdinand perplexed at full time
‘If anybody was starting to get carried away at Old Trafford, with the position that they’re on, it was a reality check. I think recently Man Utd, in terms of reaction, have been brilliant but tonight it seemed to come crumbling down.
‘[Marcus] Rashford and [Anthony] Martial were invisible, didn’t get on the end of anything, didn’t create anything.
‘Last week Liverpool, tremendous performance. Bottom of the league Sheffield United. Dour, lifeless at times. The inconsistencies they don’t win you the league.
‘It’s what we said about Man United for many, many months that the inconsistencies of individuals on this team is what’s holding them back.
‘And we thought we had seen the back of that but it’s just reared it’s head and that’s the unfortunate thing.’
Kean Bryan opened the scoring in a first half in which Martial saw an equaliser ruled out for an apparent foul by Harry Maguire on goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Maguire did eventually find a leveller in the second half but Solskjaer’s comeback kings floundered rather than rallied.
Ferdinand took aim at Anthony Martial (right) and Nemanja Matic’s (left) defensive displays
The Blades capitalised on some atrocious defending as substitute Oliver Burke struck home off of Axel Tuanzebe to seal the win – only their second Premier League triumph of a wretched season.
And Ferdinand took aim at both Martial and Matic for their sub-par defending in the build-up to the Blades’ winning goal.
‘It’s about the reaction, and I want you to see in a minute, Martial, where he ends up when the ball gets around the penalty box for Man United,’ Ferdinand added when analysing the goal.
‘He ambles back. I want to see a reaction of him sprinting back. Jogging. In yesteryear that doesn’t happen. They get back here. Look, there’s Martial, two or three passes have gone on he’s still jogging back, ambling back. I want to see intensity. Matic should be doing the same.
‘And it’s not just about Martial. It’s not just about him. I could pick a couple out here, and I will. [David] de Gea should clear his lines, get it out of the stadium.
Ferdinand claimed Martial and Matic ‘ambled back’ before the visitors scored a second
Ferdinand insisted the Frenchman’s actions would not have been accepted in years gone by
‘The ball goes to [Lundstram], please, I’m begging you [Matic], get out. Show me your reaction and intensity. Get out and get the ball. He has his hands behind his back which I hate, too.’
Replays show Martial and Matic making minimal effort to recover the ball, leaving Ferdinand flummoxed at the duo’s response.
‘Martial, please sprint to him. Please go out there and affect the man on the ball. He doesn’t,’ Ferdinand pleads while analysing the sequence of play. ‘Please, Mr Matic. Get out there and affect the ball. This is like two, or three passes on the ground.’
The result means United remain a point behind rivals City, who have a game in hand.
