Man Utd’s unreliable defence will stop them challenging in Champions League, says Ferdinand

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believes the club’s ‘unreliable’ defence will stop them challenging for the Champions League this season. 

Ferdinand played 455 games during a 12-year stint at Old Trafford and was part of the last United side to win Europe’s most prestigious club competition back in 2008.

However, since 2011, the Red Devils have failed to make it beyond the quarter-final and have often ended up playing in the Europa League, winning that competition in 2017.

And, as good an achievement as winning the Europa League is, that is not where United want to be playing their football, but Ferdinand doesn’t expect them to be challenging for Champions League glory any time soon.

When asked if the United defence was good enough to help them challenge for the Champions League, the 81-time England international said (via the Daily Mail): “No, they aren’t and they won’t be.

“They haven’t bought anyone in who is going to change that. They’ve got a Superman (David de Gea) in goal. If he’s not in goal I don’t know what would’ve happened over the last four years. The guys in front of him, there are inconsistencies every week.

“Has (Victor) Lindelof worked? No. Has (Eric) Bailly worked? No. (Chris) Smalling and (Phil) Jones haven’t kicked on, given the potential they showed when they first came through the door.”

After making a mixed start to the new season, United seem to have found some consistency, winning their last two games 2-0 and 2-1 against Burnley and Watford respectively.

READ MORE: Explained: Marouane Fellaini’s new pseudo-centre-back role that hides Man Utd’s problem area

That has largely been helped by Marouane Fellaini’s deployment in front of the back-four, with Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof forming a strong partnership behind him.

The three-time European champions kick off their continental campaign away to Swiss champions Young Boys on Wednesday, before taking on Wolves at Old Trafford on Saturday.

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