Manchester United need Bruno Fernandes to nullify Rodri if they're to stand any chance of beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, according to Rio Ferdinand.
Erik ten Hag's side are underdogs for the Wembley showpiece as they seek to prevent City from securing the second part of their Treble. Pep Guardiola's side have already claimed the Premier League title and have a Champions League final with Inter Milan to come.
United lifted the Carabao Cup earlier this season and have secured a top-four finish in Ten Hag's first campaign at the helm. The Reds would love to add the FA Cup to the trophy cabinet and former Old Trafford star Ferdinand feels the key lies within Ten Hag's team selection.
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Plenty feel Ten Hag will start Fernandes wide, to accommodate Fred and a more steely midfield structure but Ferdinand wants the Portugal international in the middle of the park to cut off the City supply line.
"I think I would play Bruno on Rodri," he said, speaking on his Five podcast. "Everything great about this City team, a lot of it comes through him. I want someone on him who can just buzz around him but when we get the ball run off him.
"He (Rodri) is so integral to what they do so stop him getting on the ball, allow John Stones to come out and create holes for the front three to run into. I would want to keep Rodri quiet and I would entice one of the back four to keep coming out with the ball, which has been Stones recently, and I would let him come as far as he wants when you have people like Rashford and Sancho to run into those big gaps."
Sancho is one player who could drop out of the team should Fernandes play wide, but Ferdinand believes the England star's recent performances merit a spot in the side.
"I think Sancho has come into a bit of form and has to stay in the team," added Ferdinand. "With Sancho, he has shown glimpses but he still has a long way to go to convince everyone that he is a fully-fledged Man United player.
"But I believe if they can get players close enough to him on the pitch - because he is an intelligent footballer and everyone thinks he is just a dribbler but he has an intelligence to the way he plays - so if he can get people to bounce off and run in behind, then that is where he can hurt Kyle Walker. He needs the other parts of the team to function for him to perform at his best."
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