Manchester United are currently enduring a difficult run of form after losing the Manchester derby 2-0 this past weekend at home to Man City. With heightened expectation, following the acquisitions of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, United are floundering in the league and performances have been poor.

With Solskjaer coming under fierce criticism from supporters and pundits alike, there doesn’t seem to be any change at Old Trafford coming just yet. Fans within the stadium booed the performance at the end of both halves on Saturday.

Now, Rio Ferdinand – who played with the Norwegian during his spell in Manchester – says that the time might have come for Solskjaer to resign from the club.

On the latest episode of his ‘Vibe With Five’ podcast, Ferdinand said: “I look at our team every week and wonder what we are going to do. I don’t see any philosophy or an identity in the United way of playing, whatever that should be from the management. I sit here confused looking at the team.

“When you look at it like that with the transfer window we had, we were all sitting here excited.

“I go back to my point. Ole was brought in, I think, with a remit to get us back to a point, a moment where you do think he’s brought some foundation back. At the beginning of this season, we were sat there saying; ‘Yes, that’s it’.

“Deep down, I was always a bit sceptical he could take us on and be champions. I wasn’t sure or wasn’t convinced, but I hoped that he would be able to do it. But the showing I’ve seen this season, I just feel that, maybe, now might be the time for that baton to be handed over to somebody else who can take us on.

“I think Ole would leave now with his head held high. From when he came in, to where he got us, at the beginning of this season, has been positive. I’ve always said the trajectory has been like this [upwards]. Slow, not a big spike like [Thomas] Tuchel has done for Chelsea, but over his tenure, there has been a gradual increase.

“Under previous management eras that we had, he was brought in to fix that and bring us to a place where you get the squad intact, you get the players in to put us at a point where we can challenge for the league.”

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United have taken a single point from their last three Premier League games following this past Saturday’s chastening 4-2 loss at Leicester, prompting intense scrutiny of Solskjaer’s position.

Midfielder Pogba admitted the defeat at the King Power Stadium was deserved, while attributing it to long-standing issues and a lack of maturity.

Former United defender Ferdinand feels the France international’s comments are concerning and “pose questions” about the current mood at the club.

“It doesn’t sit well with me. If I was in a changing room and a teammate had said that, I wouldn’t be happy, I’ve got to be honest,” Ferdinand told the Vibe With Five podcast.

“I’d be straight in, saying: ‘What does that mean? I don’t quite understand what you’re saying,’ unless I actually agree.

“Pogba’s an honest guy, that’s what I like about Paul. He’s very passionate, wants to win, wants to be the best he can be.

“And that says to me that there’s an underlying frustration within the camp and he can’t hide it. He’s not hiding it.

“Normally you get bog-standard answers [to interview questions] but he’s said a few things there that pose questions.”

United have improved their league position each year since Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho in the Old Trafford dugout in December 2018.

Expectations were high going into the new season following a headline-grabbing summer transfer window, which brought the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane.

With United currently five points behind leaders Chelsea, Ferdinand feels former teammate Solskjaer will remain in the role until at least the end of the season but must win silverware to continue beyond that.

“There’s been gradual improvement every year he’s been here and the squad shape and the mould of the squad looks better than when he took over – that’s all perfect,” said Ferdinand.

“This season now is Ole’s squad. This season he will be judged.

“He’s got to go and win something and show improvement again. I think if he doesn’t, he’s going to be on a chopping board.

“But I don’t think the club will have a knee-jerk reaction now. He’s done enough to warrant finishing this season and then see where you are. I think that’s what will be the case.

“There will be people saying, ‘Get rid of him now’, that’s the culture today.

“I think he will get to the end of this season and then it will be a cut-throat decision.

“Either: ‘Yes, you’ve done well enough to stay again, you’ve stabilised what we’re doing and we’re on that journey still to where we want to get to’.

“Or: ‘We’re now further away than we were before, you’ve regressed, thank you very much, see you later’.”

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Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all missed from the spot as Italy won 3-2 on spot kicks at Wembley after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes.

“I’ve seen seasoned players with hundreds of games under their belts turn away,” Ferdinand said in defence of those who missed.

The defeat, described by the Duke of Cambridge on Twitter as heartbreaking, was another high-profile shootout loss for the Three Lions.

Rashford and Sancho were new to the pitch when they missed, and Alan Shearer told the BBC: “It’s a big ask to put players on with a minute to go and say ‘Go and take a penalty’ when they’ve had no feel of the ball. You’re put in a position.”

Ferdinand added: “That’s happened for years, the last five, four, three minutes, players go on as takers. Marcus Rashford is a recognised taker. It happens. We look down the years, the biggest and best players miss penalties. Big players of the past … Baggio … they’ve missed penalties.”

The Duke of Cambridge added in his message: “You’ve all come so far, but sadly this time it wasn’t our day. You can all hold your heads high, and be so proud of yourselves — I know there’s more to come.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson echoed those sentiments, saying: “That was a heartbreaking result to end #Euro2020 but Gareth Southgate and his @England squad played like heroes. They have done the nation proud and deserve great credit.”

Ian Wright had words of comfort for Saka after his missed penalty sealed victory for Italy.

He said on ITV: “He is more than capable of taking that penalty. He is brave enough to take it. I am devastated for him.

“We have done brilliantly to get to where we got to but in the end we just got pipped.”

Roy Keane added: “It’s not a night be critical of England. I think Gareth and his staff have been magnificent.

“It’s a tough night for England but sometimes you have to lose to win. You have to take your medicine. There has been huge progress in the last few years and the World Cup is around the corner.”

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “Tonight’s result is a disappointment but huge congratulations to England for performances that filled the nation with pride.

“Praise must go to the players, and to Gareth Southgate and his coaching team and everybody at the FA, for a great Euro 2020 tournament. Gareth is a fantastic leader and instilled the players with belief, to go alongside their undoubted ability.

“Irrespective of tonight’s result, I am excited for the future – to see not only what this squad can go on to achieve, but also for the millions of people their success will inspire to play, support and get involved with our sport.”

Writing on Twitter, former England striker Michael Owen said: “Heartbreaking. But this squad has a bright future and they’ve lifted the nation both on and off the pitch after a shocking year or so.”

Sir Andy Murray backed the three penalty takers to miss, saying on Twitter: “All of those players deserve and need the support of the public after that.

“All seem like brilliant guys. Nothing can prepare you for that level of pressure/attention/criticism at 19/20 years old. Respect.”

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His old club Manchester United’s match against Liverpool was postponed this past Sunday after a peaceful planned protest escalated into violence and an invasion of the Old Trafford pitch.

Ferdinand did not condone the violence which left police officers injured, but understood where the discontent has come from, and why it is likely such protests will be repeated.

‘I’m with the fans,’ he told Vibe with Five.

‘We don’t want violence and I’m not condoning violence or any type of lawbreaking at all, but these fans have been shunted aside [and told] “You’re not a thought, you’re not a consideration”.

‘[The protest] is the response you get when things like that happen, when you try and take over a club, and take it away from the fans and think the fans don’t mean a thing.’

The protests followed the aborted attempt by the Premier League’s big six along with three clubs each from Italy and Spain to launch a European Super League on 18 April.

The response of fans has been widely cited as one of the key factors in the ESL’s swift collapse and Ferdinand believes there is now a realisation among fans of the power of working together.

‘What you will see continuously is more and more football fans coming together on something like this,’ he added.

‘I don’t think it’s going to be tribal and that certain people are going to point the finger at Man United. People see that this was almost a criminal act on football fans.’

The government’s response to the ESL news was to launch its fan-led review, which supporters’ groups hope will lead to changes in the governance of the game.

The purpose of United fans’ peaceful protests on Sunday was to speak out against the owners, the Glazer family, and try to hit them in the pocket.

However, football finance analyst Dr Dan Plumley from the Sheffield Business School warns American owners have historically been very resilient to external pressure.

‘One thing we know from history with American involvement in football clubs – and we’ve seen it at Arsenal – they do stand their ground, they are pretty stubborn,’ he told the PA news agency.

‘That is rooted in the way their sports are run. [Arsenal owner] Stan Kroenke picked up the Rams [NFL team] and moved them [from St Louis to Los Angeles] and nobody can tell you you can’t.

‘You upset a full state by moving it, but if you’re prepared to do that then you can do it – you’re the owner. That’s just not the English model and that’s been the cause of the friction over the last few weeks.’

Greater Manchester Police said on Tuesday afternoon Michael Anthony James Cusker (28) had been charged with throwing fireworks in a street, use of threatening behaviour and wilful obstruction of the highway following the section of this past weekend’s protest outside the Lowry Hotel, where the United team were staying.

Cusker, of Winstanley Road, Manchester, was bailed to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on 25 May.

The force spokesman said the incident had been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct to ‘ensure complete transparency and independence’.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton this past Saturday and are now five points adrift of top spot.

Manchester City, the league leaders, have also played one game fewer than their local rivals.

United have dropped 10 points in recent weeks, losing to Sheffield United and drawing with Liverpool and Arsenal before Saturday’s game at Old Trafford.

And Ferdinand, who won six titles during his time as a United player, believes his former club have struggled to deal with the pressure at the top.

‘You can’t defend it,’ he said on Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE. ‘Man United were sitting pretty at the top of the league.

‘You see the league table, you look at the results, you get excited. When you put yourself in that position, Man United have to strike.

‘When there’s an opportunity you’ve got to go. The problem is we’ve let this opportunity slip through our hands.

‘You can see Man City with their experience, they’ve smelt blood, they’ve put their heads down, they’ve gone.

‘But Man United have stuttered, we’ve got the choke going in and out, haven’t got it quite working properly.

‘We have choked, it’s simple as that. I’d put us out of the title challenge unless we go on a run and we change our habits and our lack of consistency.

‘But I haven’t seen enough to suggest we can go on a 10-, 15-game winning streak. We’re tripping ourselves up all the time.’

United return to action against West Ham in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Tuesday.

Solskjaer’s side then face West Brom in the Premier League on Sunday, before beginning their Europa League campaign against Real Sociedad next week.

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Maguire’s miserable season for club and country continued on Wednesday night as he was sent off in England’s Nations League defeat to Denmark at Wembley.

National team boss Gareth Southgate has backed Red Devils captain Maguire, who was involved in a high-profile court case in Greece at the start of the season, to come through this “difficult period” and ex-United player Ferdinand said being taken out of the firing line could work for Maguire, as it had for him.

He believes United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a key role to play in what happens next.

“In these situations – that I’ve been in as well, you sometimes need to be taken out of the oven,” BT Sport analyst Ferdinand, who was speaking as EE announced that its customers will be among the first to gain access to Match Day Experience, a new set of immersive viewing features on the BT Sport app.

“Ole has a big job on his hands and I think quite an important role to play in this. Whether maybe it’s time to give him a little rest, let him gather himself and build that confidence back up.

“Sometimes just taking yourself out of the firing line for one game. I got brought off in one game, I think it was Middlesbrough away, the manager (Sir Alex Ferguson) spoke to me and said ‘get yourself back to basics, train well and you’ll come back in’.

“That’s what happened and I was fine. It’s just sometimes that bit of pressure being taken out that can actually help you.

“I know a lot of players will see that as an absolute stain on their resume but it’s sometimes something that’s needed. I definitely benefited from it and it’s maybe something Ole and his management team may look at.”

Ferdinand was asked what a player can do to rebuild confidence.

“It’s having that time to reflect,” he said.

“When you’re going game-to-game every three or four days, it’s very hard to see through the fog.

“But when you’re taken out of the firing line, you get time to sit back and actually analyse yourself, your performance, your preparation, your recovery – all aspects of what goes around a football match or 90 minutes.

“It’s then about rebuilding yourself and playing simple. Effectively trying to get through a game without being seen.

“It might sound silly but that’s the way I used to look at it when I was lacking a little bit of confidence. Because at the moment you’re being seen for all the wrong reasons.

“So to go through a game without being seen and being almost a bit invisible but getting through – winning a game, keeping a clean sheet. Building blocks.”

:: Match Day Experience on the BT Sport app, the UK’s most immersive sports viewing service, will be inclusive for new customers taking the Full Works iPhone plan with the new 5G iPhone. Visit ee.co.uk for more from October 16.

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The Red Devils invested a record-breaking £80 million ($106m) in the services of England international Maguire during the summer of 2019.

Maguire delivered an immediate return on that show of faith, with the captain’s armband handed to him when Ashley Young departed Old Trafford in January.

He was paired with Victor Lindelof on a regular basis by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but calls for another option to be drafted in are growing in intensity.

Berbatov has added his voice to those calling for more money to be spent at the back, with United urged to look to the past for inspiration in the present.

The former Red Devils striker told Stadium Astro when asked where Solskjaer needs to add: ‘I think in defence, a centre-back is something that they need to look for.

‘If they are going to buy someone or not we are going to see, but I think that is where they need to strengthen. Everything else at the moment looks balanced.

‘For me they need someone who can accommodate Harry Maguire. Harry is more of a guy for getting the ball out of the defence and giving it to the midfield, so maybe someone who is different to that but also strong. They need to copy the Rio and Vida partnership from the past.’

United have completed their first signing of the current window, with Netherlands international midfielder Donny van de Beek joining in a £35m ($46m) deal from Ajax.

Berbatov said of that arrival: ‘It’s getting crowded in the midfield department but that’s a good thing because competition is always healthy. They will get the best out of each other.

‘There is going to be [Paul] Pogba, him and Bruno Fernandes – that is exciting. The team is getting compact in a really nice way. Maybe they will surprise us with one or two more signings.’

Solskjaer is expected to dip back into the market, amid links to the likes of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho, but Berbatov is not convinced that another attacker is required.

The Bulgarian said: ‘I’ve said it many times, for me [Anthony] Martial, Marcus Rashford, [Mason] Greenwood have great potential to become even better – especially Greenwood.

‘I think with the season he had for United, with the goals and the way he was moving on the pitch, I think he deserves this season to be given more playing time because he deserved it.

‘He scored goals every time Ole gave him a chance and I think he will be given more time to shine. And with Martial and Rashford in there, proven scorers in world football, I think they can develop and become better.’

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Ziyech shone during his four-year stay with the Sons of the Gods as they clinched the Eredivisie title, KNVB Cup, Johan Cruyff Shield and finished as runner-up in the 2017 Europa League.

The Reaal Dronten academy graduate scored 38 goals and provided 62 assists for Ajax amid other dazzling displays which caught the attention of several European clubs.

The forward then settled for Chelsea after it became clear he was leaving the Johan Cruyff Arena outfit with the Premier League club parting with €40 million to secure his signature.

The winger, who signed a five-year deal with the Stamford Bridge outfit, only teamed up with the Blues in July, after completing the 2019-20 season with Ajax.

The 27-year-old Morocco international is known for his dribbling skills and technique which he uses to break up defences.

Ferdinand feels the style of play of Ziyech is similar to Algeria international Mahrez and believes the forward will be a hit in the Premier League.

‘We watched Ziyech last season for Ajax, he was magnificent,’ Ferdinand told BT Sport.

‘He reminds me a little bit of [Riyad] Mahrez but he crosses the ball a little bit more. He’s someone who’s really always trying to find a way to unlock defences with his delivery. [He has] a lot of guile.’

Mahrez was the best-performing player as Leicester City won the Premier League in the 2015-16 campaign and deservedly scooped the club’s Player of the Season and PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards among other individual accolades.

The winger spent four years at the King Power Stadium before joining Manchester City in the summer of 2018 and has also been in fine form for the Citizens.

In the 2019-20 campaign, the forward bagged 12 goals and provided 13 assists as Pep Guardiola’s men finished as runner-up in the Premier League.

While Ziyech has 14 goals in 32 appearances for Morocco, Mahrez has been capped 57 times by Algeria and led the side to win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

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Reports over recent weeks have suggested the 40-year-old is on a list of former Old Trafford stars being lined up to come in as part of a shake-up of the club’s hierarchy.

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faces a major restructuring job this summer after the club finished sixth in the Premier League last season.

The introduction of a technical director to work alongside executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has been mooted for some time, but an appointment has yet to be made.

Ferdinand, who joined United in 2002 to become what was then the most expensive defender in world football, won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during his 12 years at the club.

And he revealed a return in a senior off-field role could be of interest.

‘It all depends on the shape of the job,’ he said when asked if he fancied returning to the club.

‘I don’t think it’s all been outlined at Man United in terms of – that’s the job and this is the description. I think there’s a lot to talk about within that.

‘To be fair to Man United in that kind of role, the responsibility that comes with that, you can’t lie and say that that’s not a turn-on.

‘Because you are helping to shape the fortunes of a club of that stature. That’s a huge job.

‘All the boxes would have to be ticked that you’re got in in your head before considering something like that.

‘I think decisions made at a football club – not all, [but] some of them should come with a football thought process in the background somewhere, [someone] that understands that side of it and can make that kind of decisions.’

Ferdinand, like many other former United players, believes the club is struggling for a philosophy in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, and that signing star players is now more difficult than when the club were routinely winning silverware.

‘Man United are looking for their ideology still,’ he said.

‘They went away from it after Sir Alex Ferguson, they tried to take it on under different managers and it didn’t work, so they are still searching.

‘They need to lock down a philosophy, an ideology, but it’s not just the first team – it needs to be across the club, with younger players and the foundations, all the way through.

‘There needs to be some sort of story at a football club for the stars and the staff to believe in.

‘Liverpool have got that, Jurgen Klopp has created that. Man City have got that – Pep [Guardiola] has created that. But they have been allowed to create it. They have had time.

‘Do I think Man United can do that? I think time will tell – Ole has a window to work in and then he has to put that jigsaw in place.

‘It is a big gap between Man City, Liverpool and Spurs. They will build again, they will recruit again.

‘Man United always used to compete from the front – from a financial position and from a trophy position, winning. So if you approach a player you didn’t have to talk about money – we were winning the league every year.

‘I could have gone for bigger money, easy. I could have left for bigger money, but I was addicted to winning, so why leave?

‘There are people around Man United who can pay the same or more, and now they haven’t got the added pull of winning trophies and being in the mix to win the big trophies.

‘And you have Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, all massive clubs in transition, so Man United are not top of the queue when it comes to the big players.’

Uefa Euro 2020 will be the biggest and most inclusive celebration of European football, with hosting shared between 12 cities across Europe for the first time. London is one of these cities, and Wembley Stadium will be the venue for seven matches, including both semi-finals and the showpiece final.

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Sarri has been tipped to fill the vacant managerial role at Juventus with his Stamford Bridge future in doubt.

The former Napoli coach only took charge of the Blues last summer and secured the Europa League title, a third-place Premier League finish and reached the Carabao Cup final.

Despite that, he sometimes felt the wrath of fans for his approach and is now reportedly being lined up to succeed Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus.

Lampard, Chelsea’s record goalscorer and someone who won 11 major honours during a 13-year spell in west London, spent last season in charge of Sky Bet Championship side Derby.

He guided the club to the play-off final where the Rams lost to Aston Villa but has been heavily linked with a swift return to Chelsea,

‘I think he has done a good job,’ said Lampard’s former West Ham teammate Ferdinand.

‘He has lowered the playing age at Derby – his remit before the season would have been around that.

‘He hit all the nails on the head in that regard. But more than that the way Frank has conducted himself has been exemplary, especially in the situation with the Leeds manager (Marcelo Bielsa, during the ‘Spygate’ scandal), he handled that very well.

‘He is the perfect choice. People talk about experience and what-not but what experience did Pep (Guardiola) have when he went into Barcelona’s first team? He trained the younger kids at the club.

‘Frank knows the club and he knows the players and the players will respect him. You can see he can carry himself in a particular way in front of the media and in the football club and he can change things within a season.

‘We have seen that at Derby. I know it’s a smaller club but we have seen him do it. I don’t think he would go in there and be phased by big personalities in that changing room.’

Chelsea have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have a transfer ban overturned.

But the club have not asked for the two-year ban, imposed on the club by Fifa after allegations Chelsea broke regulations over signing young players, to be frozen.

That means they may not be able to bring in any new signings this summer, having already sold talisman Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.

If that proves to be the case, Ferdinand feels that only improves Lampard’s chances of landing the job.

‘If Chelsea are going to get a ban transfer-wise I don’t think they can look anywhere but Frank if I’m honest.

‘Because he and Jody (Morris, Derby assistant manager) they know all the kids from 16 upwards. They know what they can all do.

‘Chelsea have had the best young kids in the country for a while now – Man City are coming around that but for the good years they have had the best kids and none of them get in the first team.

‘As a football club, you would think they would like to change that. If they want to change that there is no one but Frank.

‘(Do you) keep blowing money away with these managers who you have to pay up after two years? Or are you gonna go with someone who the fans are going to love to have back?

‘Someone who the young players are going to say “oh my god, Frank is going to play us.” At a time when managers are scared and under pressure not to play kids, I think it will be refreshing.’

Uefa EURO 2020 will be the biggest and most inclusive celebration of European football, with hosting shared between 12 cities across Europe for the first time

London is one of these cities, and Wembley Stadium will be the venue for seven matches, including both semi-finals and the showpiece final

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