Rio Ferdinand labels Manchester United as ‘dour and lifeless’ after shocking Sheffield United defeat

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 shocking 2-1 defeat by the Blades at Old Trafford on Wednesday

However, in what is the shock result of the season so far, United slumped to a 2-1 defeat by Chris Wilder’s Blades, who have been rooted to the bottom of the table since the opening day in what is the worst start to a Premier League season by any team before.

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.

‘Rashford and Martial were invisible, didn’t get on the end of anything, didn’t create anything.

‘It was was dour and lifeless. Inconsistency doesn’t win the league and inconsistency of individuals is holding them back. Let’s not get carried away. They need to focus and get going again – it’s not the end of the world.’ 

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 says 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 accused Martial of ambling back before the visitors scored the winning goal

Replays show Martial making minimal effort to track back and recover the ball, leaving Ferdinand flummoxed at the Frenchman’s response.

‘Martial, please sprint to him. Please go out there and affect the man on the ball. He doesn’t.’

The result means United remain a point behind City, who have a game in hand.