Manchester United: Rio Ferdinand makes Sam Allardyce remark as crisis intensifies

Rio Ferdinand speaks to the media prior to the UEFA Champions League final match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Stade de France on May 28, 2022 in Paris, France
(Image credit: Michael Regan - UEFA via Getty Images)

A furious Rio Ferdinand has flippantly suggested that Manchester United appoint Sam Allardyce.

The ex-Red Devils defender was reacting to his former club's 4-0 loss at Brentford on Saturday evening – a result which left Erik ten Hag's side bottom of the Premier League table.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, FIVE, Ferdinand said:

"You watch the game and you look at it and you think, ‘Wow’. The players are nowhere near worth the money that [United] spent on them. They’re nowhere near worth what they’re probably paying them. There’s zero confidence in the building.

"You see after the first goal where [David] De Gea plays out, the next time he saw numbers on the backs of shirts, they ran up the pitch and just wanted it kicked long.

Sam Allardyce the new head coach / manager of West Bromwich Albion arrives ahead of his first day as Manager of West Bromwich Albion at Monster Energy training complex on December 17, 2020 in West Bromwich, England

(Image credit: Adam Fradgley - AMA via Getty Images)

"Like, we might as well bring in some other managers like Big Sam [Allardyce] or [Tony] Pulis if we’re going to be [play] like that.

"You look at it and you say, 'This is not the Manchester United that I once knew'."

United's seventh successive defeat on the road has put them on their worst away run since 1936 – when they lost 10 on the bounce.

And things could be about to get a lot worse before they get better: next up, it's Liverpool at Old Trafford – a fixture in which United were trounced 5-0 last season.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...