Rio Ferdinand has used Liverpool as an example of why Erik ten Hag’s first job as Manchester United boss must be to get his players singing from the same hymn sheet.
The Reds produced another top class display in their 2-0 win over Villarreal in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash on Wednesday. Jurgen Klopp could still achieve an unprecedented quadruple this season.
However, it’s taken many years for him to mould his squad into one of the world’s best teams. Liverpool finished eighth in his first season as manager, some six years ago, before qualifying for the Champions League the season after.
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He reached a Europa League and Champions League final before winning Europe’s elite competition in 2019. The German coach then guided Liverpool to their long-awaited maiden Premier League title in 2020 following Super Cup and World Club Cup successes, and he's reportedly set to extend his contract at Anfield.
Ferdinand noted the upwards trajectory they have been on during Klopp’s tenure and underlined that one major factor has been the team’s togetherness and dedication to the cause. Speaking to BT Sport after the Villarreal win, he said: “That comes with time, patience, and he (Klopp) has had to build that, and then of course you have to win.
“All of those things have come together and you get what you saw out there today. There is a commitment with everybody, there is a belief in the manager and they follow it through and they are a fine example of you can have as much ability as you want on one hand, but if it is not coupled up with desire, application, effort and intensity, you will not get the results.”
United have been accused of looking severely disjointed this season amid a toxic atmosphere in the dressing room. The squad has been slammed by some for looking like a team of individuals rather than a collective unit.
Ferdinand is not the first analyst to demonstrate why ten Hag must restore a harmonious and driven team ethos at Old Trafford. Many fans feel that once that foundation is established, United can rebuild towards success using a Liverpool-like Klopp model so have urged the club to give ten Hag time in his role.
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