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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Jack Flintham

Rio Ferdinand questions Ralf Rangnick's 'suicidal' Manchester United tactics vs Man City

Rio Ferdinand has claimed Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick's tactics in the derby with Manchester City were 'suicidal'.

United were thrashed 4-1 by the Blues at the weekend thanks to braces from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez. Jadon Sancho equalised for the away side in the first half but they only managed to stay level for six minutes.

Speaking on the Vibe With FIVE podcast, Ferdinand said: "There are so many instances that you look at in the defence and you can also talk about the midfield. We have two midfielders in there and they were outnumbered consistently.

ALSO READ: Rio Ferdinand slams Manchester United players after derby loss and says they should be embarrassed

"City played three in there - to play two in there is suicidal. I know they played two midfielders up front which to me was like 'woah'.

"You have got [Cristiano] Ronaldo in your squad and you are going away in a game like that. If you had [Edinson] Cavani and he [ Rangnick ] said that he was going to play him I'd get it.

"But you are playing two midfielders up top and I am thinking 'wow, never done that and you are doing it against your biggest rivals in the city who are going to win the league and you are running for fourth and you are going to do something completely new and outlandish in this game'.

"If you play two midfielders up front, we didn't even manage to pack the midfield, we still were open in there. You may as well have played Ronaldo. I just could not get my head around it."

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