Rio Gavin Ferdinand

[Andi Istiabudi]

RIO FACES CHUBOI AT FIFA 18 LAUNCH EVENT

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand attended the FIFA 18 launch event to celebrate the game's release on 29 September.

The event saw the former Reds and England star take on eSports analyst and commentator ChuBoi in an exhibition match, while they chatted about the impact Jose Mourinho has had at Old Trafford and Romelu Lukaku's fine start to his United career.

As ChuBoi defeated Ferdinand 3-2, with both players using United as their team of choice, they also discussed the Reds' early season form.

"This season, it's gone well, we've had a few 4-0 wins, which have been convincing" Rio told MUTV. "But, we haven't played any of the big boys yet, so it's hard to judge the team so far.

"They've had a good mentality so far, beating the teams they should be," he added. "Last year, we were drawing 0-0 with teams we should be beating, and now we're getting those wins - that's why we'll be right up there to win the league."

Ferdinand also revealed when he was at United, Michael Carrick was his FIFA partner, and regular opponents were Wayne Rooney and Darren Fletcher, plus Anderson and Nani.

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

Jadi penasaran dengan bukunya, hehehe...



RIO FERDINAND LAUNCHES NEW BOOK

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has launched his latest book 'Thinking Out Loud: Love, Grief and Being Mum and Dad', on the back of his recent documentary.

Today (Tuesday 3 October) marks the release of the book which tells the courageous and moving story of the former Reds defender's sudden and tragic loss of his wife Rebecca to breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 34.

The book's publication follows the screening of a BBC documentary, Being Mum and Dad, earlier this year which received lots of positive feedback for the honesty and bravery Rio showed in talking about his emotions and experiences.

Written to help others struggling with loss and grief to find the help they need, Rio shares openly the difficult journey he's been on to bring up his three young children and the support and advice that's getting his family through the hardest of times.

Speaking in an interview to promote the book, he said: "I hope the people that read the book will learn something. I think if anyone who has picked this book up who has been through it will draw parallels with their own life."

The book is available to purchase in hardback for £20 from all major retailers.

www.manutd.com

[zudomiriku]

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has to deliver titles after splashing the cash, says Rio Ferdinand as he praises Harry Kane

* Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic and Victor Lindelof joined United in the summer
* Jose Mourinho has also forked out £89million during his time in charge
* Former United defender Rio Ferdinand has called on Mourinho to deliver title

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believes pressure is growing on Jose Mourinho to deliver a Premier League title after being financially backed.

Mourinho has been able to bring in the likes of Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic since taking over the reins at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese led United to the Europa League and League Cup in his first season but now Ferdinand says he must win the Premier League.

Ferdinand's former club are yet to win the prestigious top-flight title since Sir Alex Ferguson decided to step down in 2013 and Mourinho is trying to do what David Moyes and Louis van Gaal failed to do.

'The history suggests that you win titles and they've not done that for a number of years now,' said Ferdinand.

'The fans want that, the fans have been given Jose Mourinho that little bit of time, the club have as well.


Rio Ferdinand believes Jose Mourinho has to deliver a title to Manchester United. Ferdinand is confident the title is going to Manchester but it could go to rivals City


'He's gone out and invested heavily, very well but now he's got to go and produce and I think the problem he's got, he's got a very talented and strong [Manchester] City team as well, who are performing - they look the form side at the moment. I believe it will be a battle of the two Manchester clubs.'

Manchester United's next Premier League encounter sees the Red Devils host Tottenham and Ferdinand has lavished praise on their star striker - Harry Kane.

He added: 'I spoke about Harry Kane a while ago on social media and on TV. He can be talked about at this point of time with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

'He has the same number of goals as those guys. Now I'm not saying he is comparable to them as players because he isn't. They've been doing it for 10, 12, 13 years at the top level - blowing away all statistics in terms of goalscoring and winning things.

'But he is now put himself up there as a top goalscorer in Europe so he can be talked about at those levels. He's got a long way to go. Greatness comes with consistency.

'He's been the top goalscorer in England for a while, now he's doing well in the Champions League.

'I think we have to give him time to prove himself because we have seen far too often some strikers blow the league and Champions League away for one or two seasons and then we don't see them again and are not spoken about. I don't think Harry Kane will be like that but he needs time to do that.'

Tottenham have now entered the fray as a serious title contender but Ferdinand believes they would be unable to mount a challenge if Kane was to pick up an injury.

He concluded: 'If Harry Kane stays fit then yeah, if Harry Kane gets injured then they have got no chance because they've got no one to replace him who will get that amount of goals.

'He's a talisman, he's not all Tottenham, they're not a one-man team. But to go and win a league you need a No 9 who is going to be banging in goals and outside of Harry Kane I don't see anyone who will do that.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5020485/Man-United-manager-Jose-Mourinho-deliver-titles.html

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Rio Ferdinand believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the cause of Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring woes... but insists 'he'll come out of this'

* Romelu Lukaku failed to score for the third consecutive game on Tuesday
* The Belgian striker missed an open goal in the 4-2 victory at Vicarage Road
* Rio Ferdinand believes competition from Zlatan Ibrahimovic is affecting him
* Ferdinand said: 'The bigger problem for him is Zlatan Ibrahimovic being there'

Rio Ferdinand has labelled Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return to fitness for Manchester United as the source of Romelu Lukaku's recent goal drought.

The Belgian striker has now scored just one in his last 11 for Jose Mourinho's side after failing to find the net during their 4-2 win over Watford on Tuesday night.

Lukaku had originally made a blistering start to life at Old Trafford, scoring 11 in his first 10 – backing up his lucrative £75million transfer fee – but has since seen his form deteriorate. An issue Ferdinand took little time get to the bottom of in his post-match analysis.


Rio Ferdinand has given his opinion on the source of Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring problems

Speaking on BT Sport, Ferdinand insisted having the presence of Ibrahimovic lying in wait on the subs bench will have heaped pressure onto the shoulders of Lukaku.

'He'll come out of this,' Ferdinand said of Lukaku's goalscoring woes. 'I think that maybe the bigger problem for him is Zlatan Ibrahimovic being there.

'Mentally, having a big striker behind you who wants to play, that's a pressure (coming) from within, and sometimes people find that hard to deal with.'

While Ashley Young stole the plaudits at Vicarage Road with a trademark free kick, followed by a strike from outside the box, Lukaku squandered a golden opportunity to break his duck, as he missed what was described as an 'open goal' by his manager.

'The second half should be 5 or 6 nil,' Mourinho said of the result. 'It was even easier to score goals than in first. But we missed chances and this is football.

'Lukaku had that one with the open goal, and Paul had a free header.'

The Belgian is expected to put an end to his torturous run, but when is anybody's guess, as Lukaku's nightmare spell in front of goal continues.


Romelu Lukaku's woes in front of goal continued after he struggled against Watford. The Manchester United striker missed a dream chance to end his ever-growing baron run of goalless games, which was later described by manager Jose Mourinho as an 'open goal'. Speaking on BT Sport, Ferdinand claimed Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return is hindering Lukaku. But also insisted that the Belgian will return to his early United form that saw him score 10 in 11

LUKAKU FIRST 11 VS LAST 11

Goals: 10

Goals/Game: 0.9

Assists: 1

Goals: 1

Goals/Game: 0.09

Assists: 2

Lukaku's last goal came against Newcastle earlier this month.

The Belgian endured a goalless October despite playing every minute of United's Premier League matches.

[Andi Istiabudi]

RIO: REDS PLAYED FOR THE SHIRT AGAINST CITY

Rio Ferdinand felt Manchester United’s incredible comeback victory over rivals City showed the team care about playing for the shirt and could handle the intense pressure of the occasion.

Paul Pogba netted twice and Chris Smalling fired home the decisive goal as the Reds came from two goals down at half-time to record a dramatic 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, denying Pep Guardiola’s league leaders the chance to secure the Premier League title in the process.

Former United defender Ferdinand, who played in 24 Manchester derbies during his glittering 12-year career at Old Trafford, knows all about what playing City means to the fans.

In an impassioned post on Instagram, Rio penned a lengthy message on how much the victory meant to him as a huge Reds supporter and heaped praise on the players for standing up to the challenge, while spoiling City’s celebrations.

“Beaten by your rivals at their ground and to then have to sit there and watch them lift the Premier League trophy – all of this while the home fans laugh at you there downtrodden, embarrassed, worthless, a beaten man/team,” he wrote.

“That is the nightmare the night before the derby game many of the players, if not all, would have had. That very picture would almost certainly have gone through their minds at some point leading up to that game.

“So to see the way the Manchester United team came back from two goals down, and it could have been more had City finished their chances, signifies to me that these guys really do care about playing for the shirt and how desperate they were not to allow that nightmare to become a reality!

“That is the type of pressure these games bring on – can you as an individual get rid of those terrible images and concentrate on the job in hand, or will you allow yourself to be drowned in such negativity that you can hardly warm up without it being on your mind constantly, and your warm-up is 25 minutes of bad touches and anxiety!

“This, can I add, all before the actual game begins – mental warfare! So well done to the boys for dealing with all that, especially after going two goals down (imagine the panic).”

Ferdinand also reserved special praise for Paul Pogba, who capped a Man of the Match display with two goals, which brought the Reds back on level terms early in the second half, and played an integral role in the remarkable turnaround.

“Paul Pogba was the talk before the game and he went on to make sure he was the talk after it, for the reasons he so desperately wants them to be,” Rio added.

“Knowing Paul, he will want to be talked about as a great player, but his extravagant hairstyles and dance moves have too often overshadowed his performances.

“Flashy hair and being seen to enjoy every bit of life is just the way Paul Pogba is and that’s his choice, so it must be respected. All he has to do is make sure he keeps producing performances and goals like we saw against City – that will be the conversation with him rather than the other stuff.

“He was let free or had to play in a more advanced role due to the scoreline, which allowed him to do what he does best – less defensive responsibility and allowed to attack like he learnt and did at Juventus with the results we saw in the second half at City.

“That’s the pressure he puts on himself, but one I’m sure he can deal with.”

www.manutd.com

[zudomiriku]

Rio Ferdinand announces he is 'hanging up' his gloves on Betfair's Defender to Contender challenge after British Boxing Board of Control refuse his application for professional licence

* Rio Ferdinand has announced he has retired from boxing before having a fight
* The 39-year-old revealed the BBBoC refused his application for a boxing licence
* Ferdinand said: 'To not be given the chance to demonstrate my ability to the BBBoC through the standard assessment afforded to others is hard to take'
* The former footballer was training with Richie Woodhall ahead of his debut fight
* He had first announced his intentions to become a boxer back in September

Rio Ferdinand has taken a U-turn on his plan to make his boxing debut as part of Betfair's Defender to Contender challenge after announcing the British Boxing Board of Control refused to review his application for a professional licence.

The former Manchester United defender took to social media to express his disappointment on Thursday morning, having been forced to retire before his first fight.

In a statement, Ferdinand said: 'Having been training 4-5 times a week since announcing the aim of achieving a professional boxing licence and stepping into the ring, it is with a heavy heart that I am hanging up my gloves on Betfair's Defender to Contender challenge.


Rio Ferdinand has announced he will not be seeing through his plan to make his boxing debut

'Despite having never felt better physically or mentally, after notifying the British Boxing Board of Control of my intention to apply for a licence, I have received confirmation that they would not be reviewing my application at this point in time.

'To say I'm disappointed by this decision is an understatement. To not be given the chance to demonstrate my ability to the BBBoC through the standard assessment afforded to others is hard to take, not only for me, but also to Richie, Mel and the countless others who have dedicated their time to my boxing development over the past six months.

'Boxing is a physically tough, demanding and dangerous sport. I always gave it my utmost respect and never underestimated how difficult it would be. I wanted to show people that it's OK to have a goal and strive to reach it. It's important to approach everything with success in mind, and to give it your all, but sometimes things work against you.

'This sport has given me a new focus & drive and is something I will continue to do as part of my fitness regime. I'd like to say thank you to Betfair, Richie Woodhall, Duke McKenzie, my team at New Era Global Sports, the guys at GB Boxing and everyone who has supported me so far. It's been a great journey.'

Ferdinand first announced his intention to step between the ropes back in September after Betfair had conjured up the idea and approached him three months earlier.


Ferdinand confirmed the BBBoC refused his application for a professional boxing licence. The 39-year-old said the decision not to have the chance to show his ability is 'hard to take'. The former Manchester United defender announced his plan to become a boxer in September

The 39-year-old, who retired from football in 2015 and now works as a BT Sport pundit, had initially set his sights on making his boxing debut in February of this year.

But that plan was scuppered after Ferdinand had still not received a response from the BBBoC to his licence enquiry.

Ferdinand had been travelling to Sheffield to work alongside former super middleweight world champion Richie Woodhall and even took part in several sessions with the Team GB squad.

He was updating fans with his progress across his social media accounts but had not done so recently amid difficulty to convince the BBBoC to consider his application.

Now Ferdinand has confirmed he has retired from the sport after not being given the chance to demonstrate his 'ability to the BBBoC through the standard assessment afforded to others'.

The BBBoC previously issued former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff a licence in 2012 but ruled out Ferdinand's application this week.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-5686439/Rio-Ferdinand-announces-hanging-gloves-BBBoC-refuse-application-licence.html

[Andi Istiabudi]

Fans timnas Inggris wajib baca nih!

'I HELPED KILL ENGLAND' Rio Ferdinand reveals his part in the failure of England football’s golden generation

Rio Ferdinand has revealed the bitter rivalries within England’s so-called 'golden generation' that 'killed' our chances of World Cup glory

RIO FERDINAND has revealed the bitter rivalries within England’s so-called “golden generation” that “killed” our chances of World Cup glory.

The former Manchester United defender said the divisions caused by individual success at club level were why the star-studded national side failed to live up to its hype.



Squads featured Rio, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, who all regularly competed for top honours at home and in Europe.

But Rio, 39, said: “It overshadowed things. It killed that England team, that generation.

“One year we would have been fighting Liverpool to win the league, another year it would be Chelsea.



“I considered the Premier League to be my title. So I was never going to walk into the England dressing room or the canteen and open up to Frank, to Ashley Cole, John, Joe Cole at Chelsea, or Steven and Jamie Carragher at Liverpool.

“I wouldn’t open up because of the fear that they would then take something back to their club and use it against us, to make them better than us.

“I didn’t want to engage with them in that sense.”

Rio, now a BT Sport pundit, was capped 81 times by his country and enjoyed a trophy-laden career at United, including six league titles and a Champions League.

English players were at the heart of their clubs’ success but being hailed as the most talented crop since 1966 did not prevent failure on the international stage.

The former skipper said: “I didn’t realise what I was doing was hurting England at the time. It was only after I sat back and thought, ‘F***ing hell, this is what happened!’

“I was so engrossed with winning with Man United that nothing else mattered.”

The Three Lions crashed out of two World Cups and a European Championships in the quarter-final between 2002 and 2006. They did not qualify for Euro 2008 and were thrashed by Germany in the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup.

London-born Rio broke through the ranks at West Ham as a teenager. He says former Hammers teammate and now fellow pundit Frank also believes club rivalries damaged England’s chances.

After leaving West Ham, Frank and Rio stopped talking to each other as they faced off in the Premier League playing for Chelsea and United.

Rio said: “Since we’ve retired, we chat on text and stuff, and when we’re in the studio there’s not that dividing line between us any more.

“That rivalry has gone. If I had my time again, would I be different? I’d like to try to be different. But if it meant I wasn’t going to win my trophies, I don’t think I’d change.”

Rio was England’s youngest-ever defender, 19 when Glenn Hoddle picked him in 1997. He went on to play under Kevin Keegan, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello.

While he blamed poor management as well for the Three Lions’ failures, Rio told The Times Magazine how teammates wilted under the pressure of public expectation and the fear of losing.

He said: “You get into the squad and you’re just elated to be there. It’s like, ‘Wow, this is the stuff of dreams. All I’ve done is think about this moment and I’ve achieved it now, oh my God, blah blah blah’.

“Expectation starts weighing on your shoulders, the fear factor of losing, the repercussions of not being successful as a team or individual — they’re the things that start dragging you down.”

But with England widely acclaimed and tipped for success, public frustration and disappointment that they still had not won a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup was ramped up.

It meant the team was constantly surrounded by negativity, according to Rio.

He said: “There was a time when you thought, ‘Wow, it’s always going to be negative. It’s always negative no matter what happened.

“‘Yeah, but who was in their group? They’ve played no one yet’. It was a bit toxic. The expectation levels were probably a huge hindrance.”

Rio was the highest-paid player in Britain when United splashed £30million to bring him to Old Trafford from Leeds in 2002.

He remains one of the nation’s most decorated club players and in 2016 was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.



Rio has since found love with former Towie star Kate Wright, 26

He was so focused on constant success at United that even manager Sir Alex Ferguson — who is recovering from emergency surgery on a brain haemorrhage — once had to tell him to calm down. During celebrations after their 2008 Champions League victory over Chelsea, the centre-back wanted to know about potential transfer targets who could help the club repeat their success the following season.

But Sir Alex told him: “For f***’s sake, enjoy the party, man.”

Looking back, Rio says it was “a fear of failure, fear of not winning, fear of not being considered among the best” that prompted him to ask his manager, now 76, about his plans.

Rio retired from football in May 2015. His wife Rebecca, 34, died from breast cancer the same month.

The loss and sudden realisation that he was now a single parent to their three kids was laid bare in last year’s BBC documentary Being Mum And Dad. He says he is “learning every day” to raise Lorenz, Tate and Tia — who were nine, six and four when their mum died.

Rio has since found love with former Towie star Kate Wright, 26, who has moved in with him and the children.

She has helped him cope with the challenges Rio and his family have faced since they lost their much-loved Rebecca.

Talking about that, he said: “I was made aware straight away I had to be much more open emotionally with my kids and enable them to be emotional as well. So that they can actually feel comfortable in those grieving moments.”

Rio’s straight-talking punditry has quickly made him a favourite with viewers but with a clothing label, restaurant, foundation and production company to run, he sometimes struggles to juggle commitments.

He said: “There was a parents’ evening recently that got mixed up. I thought I was just going to my little boy’s one but I was supposed to go to my little girl’s too.

“I missed it because I was busy. I didn’t check properly.”

He said having Kate around was a great help and his kids “run past me sometimes and go to her”.

Rio added: “I’ve had to go through a period of being very, very open, and men aren’t normally like that.

“So having that extra person in the house who is female, who has the softer touch, is vitally important for the kids.”

www.thesun.co.uk

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Jose Mourinho has shut down the belief of Manchester United's players, says Rio Ferdinand: 'There is too much negativity coming out at the moment'

* Rio Ferdinand fears Jose Mourinho's mood will affect Manchester United's stars
* He moaned about a lack of depth and club's failure to sign the players he wants
* Ferdinand believes United youngsters would have taken the comments to heart
* 'The public perception right now is of a negative state of mind,' Ferdinand said

Rio Ferdinand fears Jose Mourinho's summer sulk will destabilise Manchester United's season.

'There's too much negativity coming out of Manchester United at the moment,' said Ferdinand, who played for United from 2002 to 2014, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.

'When you are part of a squad and you hear a lot of negativity and no positive sounds coming out of the person that is running your club — sitting on the outside it doesn't bode well.'


Rio Ferdinand fears Jose Mourinho's summer sulk will destabilise Manchester United's season. 'There's too much negativity coming out of Manchester United at the moment,' he claimed

United kick off the new Premier League season at home to Leicester on Friday, but the build-up has been overshadowed by Mourinho airing a number of gripes during the club's tour of America.

He has moaned about what he believes is a lack of depth in his squad as well as the apparent failure of the club — namely executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward — to sign players he wants.

And the ongoing disconnect between the Portuguese and star midfielder Pogba has provided another gloomy episode.

Sportsmail revealed on Monday how Pogba's camp are trying to engineer the France international a move to Barcelona, just two years after his £89million club-record arrival from Juventus.

Pogba's strained relationship with Mourinho is unlikely to have improved after the United boss urged his midfielder to 'understand' why he had performed so well in helping France win the World Cup this summer, rather than praise him.


The disconnect between Mourinho and Paul Pogba has provided another gloomy episode


Ferdinand also bemoaned the fact that United forward Anthony Martial 'has gone backwards'

Ferdinand, who made 453 appearances for United, believes Mourinho's moody ways will have a detrimental impact.

'If I was a young player and listened to and read what he said about the youngsters who aren't going to play a part at all this season — it doesn't fill you with confidence,' said Ferdinand. 'I was a young player once. When you get an opportunity to go away with the first team on tour you see that as the best opportunity ever.

'But it seems with his comments the manager has just shut those avenues down and shut the confidence and belief of a player.

'He has dug out Ed Woodward over the past couple of weeks and put pressure on to get his players in because he is frustrated but I think you need positivity in a squad.

'Whether he is doing that behind closed doors, who knows? But the public perception right now is of a negative state of mind within the club and that's not good.'

BT Sport pundit Ferdinand witnessed Pogba's talents first hand in Russia over the summer. And, in response to Sportsmail's back-page story, the former England captain took to Twitter to urge United not to let the Frenchman leave Old Trafford for a second time.

Despite the apparent divisions between Mourinho and Pogba, Ferdinand is adamant the pair can still make the relationship work.

'He was brilliant in Russia, he was effective and did the job he had to do for the team,' said Ferdinand.




The Portuguese has publicly pressured chief Ed Woodward (centre) to spend more money. However, Ferdinand insists: 'Mourinho still has a great pool of players to choose from'

RIO'S PREDICTIONS FOR THIS SEASON

Champions: Manchester City

Top four: Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham.

Champions League: Juventus

Emerging talent: Phil Foden

'It's down to the manager to get the best out of him, setting the team up and setting Pogba up in the right way to achieve the best.

'But Pogba needs to play his part in that. He has seen what works for him to win matches and win trophies and he has to bring that to United. It's a case of the player and manager getting an understanding for each other and getting the best out of the player.

'Mourinho still has a great pool of players to choose from, his biggest job this season is to get the best out of players like Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, to make sure they produce the goods. Rashford has stood still for the last year, Martial has gone backwards. The art of management is getting the best out of players.

'It's not just Jose, it's a combination. But he has to be the instigator in that in the way he instills confidence in his players. That's what you are paid big bucks for, to get the best from your players. There are no grey areas.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6036625/Rio-Ferdinand-Jose-Mourinho-shut-belief-Man-United-stars.html

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Manchester United have no chance in Europe with this defence... Rio Ferdinand delivers damning verdict

* Manchester United begin their quest for Champions League glory on Wednesday
* The Red Devils start their Group H campaign with a trip to Young Boys of Bern
* But former captain Rio Ferdinand does not think that United can go all the way
* 'You can't build a defence on people that aren't going to be reliable,' he said

io Ferdinand says Manchester United can forget about winning the Champions League due to their poor defence.

Jose Mourinho's side start their European campaign against Young Boys in Bern on Wednesday as they look to improve on last season's disappointing exit to Sevilla in the last 16.

United have won three of their opening five league fixtures this season but have kept only one clean sheet. It is a far cry from the stability provided by Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic during the club's last success in Europe's elite competition a decade ago.


Rio Ferdinand has said Manchester United have no chance of winning the Champions League

And with Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus waiting in Group H, Ferdinand cannot see a repeat of their 2008 triumph any time soon.

Asked if the defence was good enough to launch a European challenge, Ferdinand said: 'No, they aren't and they won't be.

'They haven't bought anyone in who is going to change that. They've got a Superman (David de Gea) in goal. If he's not in goal I don't know what would've happened over the last four years. The guys in front of him, there are inconsistencies every week.

'You can't build a defence on people that aren't going to be reliable. And then when people are in there they haven't performed.

'Has (Victor) Lindelof worked? No. Has (Eric) Bailly worked? No. (Chris) Smalling and (Phil) Jones haven't kicked on, given the potential they showed when they first came through the door.'

Problems in defence have not been the only concern for Mourinho. He has taken issue with criticism of his handling of Marcus Rashford, producing a hand-written note at his press conference last Friday to point out that his young striker had played more minutes than many Premier League rivals of a similar age.

Wednesday's clash will be the first chance the 20-year-old has to return to the United side after his two strikes on England duty. And Ferdinand believes it is the apprentice, rather than the master, who has to get a message across.




He called David de Gea 'Superman' but spoke in less glowing terms about United's defenders

'I think Rashford sits there and thinks he should start in this team,' said BT Sport pundit Ferdinand. 'He has to be sending messages to the manager saying, 'I am the man'.

'You ask any player, coming on as a sub — that means nothing. I see that as disrespect.

'You can bring me all the minutes in the world, I don't care. I want to walk out on that pitch as the starter. I don't think it is all Mourinho's fault. I think there's a balance.'

It was Rashford's displays in Europe which originally caught the eye, marking his first-team debut with two goals against Midtjylland in the Europa League and playing a key role as United lifted the trophy the following season.

And it is on the European stage that Ferdinand wants to see the striker make a statement of intent, adding: 'I remember watching him at Celta Vigo in the Europa League. He was like Roy of the Rovers, 19, taking free-kicks and corners. That is what I loved about him when he first came in.

'There was a single-mindedness, a young kid with no fear. I want to see that again.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6178039/Man-Utd-no-chance-Europe-defence-says-Rio-Ferdinand.html

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Romantic: The former TOWIE star, 27, accepted a proposal from the sports legend, 39, during a family holiday to Abu Dhabi - in front of his children Lorenz, 12, Tate, 10, and Tia, seven


Surprise! Kate Wright and Rio Ferdinand are engaged after almost two years of dating, sharing the happy news with their fans on Thursday