Rio Ferdinand explains mistake Ruben Amorim is making at Man United

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has blamed Ruben Amorim for not using three players properly this season.

The Premier League giants have once again struggled to perform this season.

Amorim’s Man United are currently 11th in the league and their performances have come under scrutiny.

Speculation has even increased over the future of Amorim at Old Trafford due to his team’s disappointing start to the season.

The former United defender suggested that Amorim’s overarching ideas are sound, but that individual role assignments are blunting the strengths of some of the club’s biggest names.

Ferdinand’s critique starts with United’s attacking structure. In his view, one senior forward has been asked to operate too often with their back to goal rather than on the shoulder, where pace and diagonal runs threaten the space behind.

The knock-on effect is felt everywhere, wingers become too narrow to compensate, the No. 10 drops deeper to connect play, and United’s counterpunch, once their most dangerous weapon, loses bite.

Speaking to The Times , he said: ‘Bruno [Fernandes] can play the deeper role he’s asked to play, but will he play it as well as he plays further up the pitch?

‘Why not put the most productive player in the Premier League in his best position to provide?

‘People go on about the formation but it’s also those details. Is Amad [Diallo] really a right wingback?

‘Leny Yoro, right of a back three, has he ever really done that as a 19-year-old novice?’

Ruben Amorim looks on during Manchester United’s win vs Sunderland (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Ferdinand’s assessment cuts to the heart of United’s teething problems under Amorim.

There is no doubt about the talent of the players and their ability but they are being deployed out of position, in roles they are not familiar with .

That has resulted in players losing their form and finding it difficult to perform.

Amorim is perhaps being a bit too complicated with his tactics and not keeping in mind his players’ strengths and weaknesses.

The manager has repeatedly expressed his desire to stick to his philosophy but considering the players he has at his disposal, his current methods are not best suited to the club.