Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United's wingers to be "fearless" and follow in the footsteps of Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka.
The 21-year-old has been in sensational form this season, scoring five goals and providing four assists. Ferdinand believes one of Saka's main qualities is his confidence in one-on-one situations and has selected him as a shoo-in for England's World Cup team.
"In this form you can’t look past Saka on that right wing spot," Ferdinand told his Vibe with Five podcast. "I think in an England shirt he does as well. He’s a winger who when he gets it, I’ve watched him a couple of times live this year as well, his first instinct and intention is to go past you.
"We spoke to Nani and he told us that was his intention. As soon as he got the ball one vs one, he was looking to beat the full-back. I love that about him, he’s got no fear, he’s playing with a bit more maturity every time I see him."
Saka's career has gone from strength to strength since he made his senior debut for Arsenal in December 2018. The FA Cup and Community Shield winner has played 144 games for the club and been named their Player of the Season for two consecutive years.
At international level, Saka has scored four goals in 20 senior caps and is England's reigning Player of the Year. He was part of the Three Lions squad that reached the final of Euro 2020 and agonisingly missed the deciding penalty in the shootout defeat to Italy.
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Many players would've cowered after such a traumatic event, but Saka has improved. He's now Arsenal's main penalty taker, converting the winner in their recent 3-2 Premier League victory against Liverpool at the Emirates.
United, meanwhile, are lacking creativity up front. They've scored just 13 Premier League goals this season, two fewer than Leicester in 19th. Jadon Sancho is finding it particularly tough to pick up form, scoring just three goals and providing one assist this term.
The former Manchester City youngster, 22, scored 38 goals and provided 51 assists in 104 Bundesliga games at Borussia Dortmund. Yet he's failed to replicate that form in England, with only five goals and three Premier League assists to his name since his August 2021.
On United's lack of creativity, Ferdinand added: "We don’t seem to have the imagination in those areas... Get him [the winger] in a one on one situation, either with a good ball from [Paul] Scholes or [Michael] Carrick etc, get them one versus one and do your thing.
"At the moment we get in those positions and unfortunately for us, our wide players are turning away from that, they’re not killing full-backs, they’re not skinning them.
"The best teams wait for that moment in a game, you might only get two or three of those moments where they stand the full-back up, Saka does it at the moment as well as anyone in the league, and say right I’m going to ghost you. At the moment our wide players aren’t doing that."
