It has been a tough week for Manchester United and under pressure manager, Louis van Gaal. Critics, pundits and journalists have had their say and opinions on the current situation of the club, and the latest addition to pour more salt on the Dutch manager’s wounds is former club centre-back, Rio Ferdinand.
The former England defender thinks the coming period could define the team’s destiny in terms of European competitions, bringing big names at Old Trafford and a potential managerial change next season.
Ferdinand unhappy with United 'playing it safe'
According to Goal.com, the former Queens Park Rangers defender thinks that Manchester United players are “playing it safe because they are afraid of the consequences if they try to take chances”.
Ferdinand is convinced that the team is going backwards under Louis van Gaal and he does not see that changing "because the manager will not change” and the players need to be “allowed to express themselves”.
Manchester United had not recorded a single win in the previous five matches with three straight draws followed by two defeats resulting an exit from the group stages of the UEFA Champions League and expanding the points gap between Arsenal and Manchester City in the Barclays Premier League.
Rio thinks United must finish in top four to get world class manager
Accordingly, Rio Ferdinand thinks that luring big name managers and players could be a huge task if the team finishes outside the top four in the league this season.
The six-time Barclays Premier League winner says, “if United finish outside the top four, that will be catastrophic. It might rule out the chance of getting either Guardiola or Ancelotti”.
Manchester United host Norwich City on Saturday in a must-win game, before traveling away to Stoke City in the boxing day game and then hosting Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in the coming busy Christmas period.
