MANCHESTER UNITED legend Rio Ferdinand has picked his team to play Brentford – and axed midfield partnership McFred.
The Red Devils lost their first Premier League game of the season 2-1 to Brighton at Old Trafford.
A number of players have come under fire for their performance.
Midfielders Fred and Scott McTominay, in particular, have been criticised.
And United legend Ferdinand has backed summer signing Lisandro Martinez to play as a holding midfielder instead of Fred and/or McTominay in United’s next game against Brentford.
Martinez would play at the base of the diamond with Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes operating in front of him.
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Pushing Martinez into the midfield also allows serial Champions League winner Raphael Varane to come back into the heart of the defence alongside club captain Harry Maguire.
Ferdinand told Vibe with Five: “In my midfield, I’m going to play Martinez as the holding midfielder and take Fred out.
“I’m going to play Varane and Maguire [at centre-back].”
He added: “I wouldn’t pick McTominay or Fred. Listen, whatever happens, Man Utd will improve from the first day against Brighton. Things can only get better.”
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On Martinez, he said: “He reminds me of Gabi Heinze a little bit, but he’s better on the ball.
“But Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Darwin Nunez, Chris Wood, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Danny Welbeck… these guys, if I’m them, I go and stand on him [Martinez] when the ball is wide.
“Because of the height difference you just do it and then it’s up to him: can he deal with it?…
“Gary Neville wasn’t the tallest, but if the ball was coming across and he knows he’s got a big fella coming in behind him to smash him over the top, before the ball is even there: bang! [hit them] Put them off, they can’t head it cleanly.”
Ferdinand would also bring Cristiano Ronaldo back into the starting XI to lead the line.
Ronaldo started the Premier League season from the bench following a summer of speculation surrounding his future at Old Trafford and couldn’t save United after coming on in the second half.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
