RIO FERDINAND believes he has a way of getting Cristiano Ronaldo back in the Manchester United team.
The Portuguese superstar, 37, stormed down the tunnel in a strop before the end of the Red Devils’ win over Spurs on Wednesday night.
And it has since been reported that he exited Old Trafford altogether before the match finished, missing the post-match dressing room party with the rest of the squad.
It was a sour note in an otherwise positive night for Erik ten Hag’s men.
But Ferdinand, who feels the Ronaldo situation is “unfair” for all involved, still feels there is a place in the team for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner – who has started just two of United’s 12 Premier League games so far this season.
And he believes a strike partnership with Marcus Rashford could be the way forward.
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When asked whether Rashford is a natural striker, he told his FIVE YouTube channel: “I think Rashford would be great with Ronaldo, I think they’d be an unbelievable pairing if you could play two up there.
“Or if you play Rashford off of one of the sides, joining Cristiano and being that outside to inside wide player like the Son’s of this world, running in behind centrally from wide areas. I think he’d be magnificent at that as well.”
Ferdinand continued: “I thought today he [Rashford] did well at everything other than score.
“I don’t think Marcus is a natural goalscorer. I don’t think he is somebody who all his career has woken up and thought about scoring goals – don’t forget he was a wide player most of his time as a kid growing up.
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“But I’ve seen players become sniffers and become out and out goalscorers – Wayne Rooney was one of those.
“Wayne Rooney loved doing everything else outside scoring. He loved scoring, but he loved doing all the other pieces as well and then honed himself and became a goalscorer. That’s why he broke all the records.
“Marcus can do that. I’m not saying he’s a Wayne Rooney or anything, but I think he can become more of a goalscorer than he is just by switching that mindset.”
Ferdinand also heaped praise on Casemiro who excelled in the win over Spurs.
The ex-Real Madrid midfielder has had to wait for a run in the team, but has now started United’s last three Premier League matches.
And Ferdinand added: “The moment he [Casemiro] has got back in the team, been given a run in the team, he’s producing the performances that we expected.
“But the biggest thing, he is like the glue in the team, but also he is the one that allows other players to go and perform.
“He protects the back four, he releases the midfielders to go and do their creative stuff. I think he’s a fabulous acquisition that we’ve got.
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“I don’t know what the manager was waiting for. He [Ten Hag] seems like someone who wants to keep winning teams playing.
“But Casemiro positionally today was absolutely immense.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
