Rio Ferdinand names Man Utd pair who have made Ten Hag’s side “a different team

Rio Ferdinand names Man Utd pair who have made Ten Hag’s side “a different team

Rio Ferdinand, a former Manchester United defender, has praised the club’s new central-defensive pairing following another crucial draw at Chelsea.

United’s defense began the new season with Harry Maguire and newcomer Lisandro Martinez.

Since the club captain was replaced by Raphael Varane, however, results under new manager Erik ten Hag have improved.

On Saturday, Ten Hag’s squad earned a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge with Casemiro’s late equalizer.

However, they will be concerned about Varane’s injury, as the Frenchman’s status for the World Cup in November is uncertain after he left the field in tears.

“It seems to me that it isn’t going to be Harry Maguire who comes in now,” Ferdinand said on his Five YouTube channel. “It looks like it’s going to be [Victor] Lindelof.”

Lindelof was selected to replace Varane at Stamford Bridge because Maguire had not fully recovered from the injury he sustained in September while on international duty.

Regardless of who Ten Hag chooses, Ferdinand believes it will be difficult to replicate the partnership between Martinez and former Real Madrid star Varane.

“Lindelof is decent, I think he will come in and do a job, it just depends how long he’s being asked to do that job,” the pundit explained.

Initial estimates indicate that Varane will be out for three to four weeks, causing him to miss United’s next three league games, but he could return for the World Cup.

“Martinez has been top this season but Varane gives us that something different, that speed, that experience and physicality,” Ferdinand continued. “I think he could be a huge loss.

“You need them two [Varane and Martinez] back together. We’ve seen straight away that those two together make us a different team, it’s as simple as that.”

Maguire sustained a hamstring injury during England’s draw with Germany during the last international break, and Ten Hag stated on October 14 that he was close to returning to training.

The manager was unwilling to comment on the severity of Varane’s injury immediately after the Chelsea match, preferring to wait at least 24 hours.

“It is difficult to say how it is now because it is so soon after the game,” the manager said. “We have to wait 24 hours and then we will know what it is. We have all seen he came off but with an injury like this we always have to wait a minimum 24 hours and the medical staff can do their job and can set the diagnosis.

“I can understand, we can all probably understand he would be emotional, but I think he also has to wait. You don’t know [how bad it is]. Of course he is experienced, but [the] medical [staff] have to do their job, have to make the assessment and set the right diagnosis, and then from there on can come a conclusion.”

Rio Ferdinand names Man Utd pair who have made Ten Hag’s side “a different team