Rio Ferdinand thinks he knows ‘first name on Ruben Amorim’s teamsheet’ at Man United
Man United legend Rio Ferdinand has named the ‘magnificent’ player who he believes will be the first name on Ruben Amorim’s teamsheet for the foreseeable future.
Ruben Amorim has been unable to turn Man United‘s dismal fortunes around over the last 11 months, as he could only lead his side to a lowly 15th-placed league finish last term, the club’s worst ever since the formation of the Premier League.
Things have not improved much this time around, and Man United players reportedly have concerns about Amorim’s methods and his ability to deal with the mounting pressure on both them and him, but their recent win against Chelsea has likely earned him a stay of execution for now.
Man United beat Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday (20 September), and will now aim to take confidence from their victory into upcoming games against the likes of Brentford, Sunderland and Liverpool.
Amorim’s preferred tactics and 3-4-3 formation have come under fire in recent weeks and months, but it does look to be suiting at least one of his players, who has now been singled out for praise by Rio Ferdinand.
Matthijs de Ligt has been crucial for Man United this season
Matthijs de Ligt joined Man United from Bayern Munich for £42million [Sky Sports] last year, and he made 42 appearances in all competitions but struggled towards the end of the season with a foot injury.
The Netherlands international has featured from the off in all of the Red Devils first five league games this term, and Ferdinand recently heaped praise on him on his ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’ podcast, saying: “I think he’s been magnificent this season…he’s put himself in place to be, probably, the first name on the (team) sheet.”
De Ligt worked his way up the ranks at Ajax and captained the club at 19-years-old, while he also won the Golden Boy award in 2019, and he now looks to be finally realising his lofty potential after mixed spells at Juventus and Bayern.
De Ligt one of few players to adapt to Ruben Amorim’s system
De Ligt did not enjoy the debut campaign that he would have liked at United due to the team’s overall concerns, but he was a shining light in a tough time with numerous standout performances under Amorim.
The 26-year-old played in a back-three for Juve and Bayern, and has also done so at international level, and he looks at home in his position in Amorim’s formation, which is more than can be said for most of their players.
De Ligt admitted in June that he enjoys playing at the heart of United’s defence, saying: “I think you more you play in it, the more you get used to it. I can also say that, in this system, I have grown a lot as a player, so I am really happy for that.”
He looks to have improved even further this season, and the Red Devils need him to continue his strong form so that they can move up the table and avoid another poor campaign under Amorim.