Rio Ferdinand has staunchly put forward a powerful defence of former Manchester United and England teammate Michael Carrick after the Sunderland match on Saturday.
Michael Carrick and his men visited the Stadium of Light at the weekend and Manchester United played out a lacklustre 0-0 draw against Sunderland.
Man Utd chalked up a point against Sunderland on the day, despite the Black Cats being the more dominant Premier League side at the Stadium of Light.
Carrick came under criticism for his approach to the United match, with the interim boss forced to make key tactical changes due to injuries in his first-team squad.
What is your MESSAGE to Michael Carrick after Man Utd’s draw with Sunderland?
Rio Ferdinand calls out negative remarks towards Man Utd legend Michael Carrick after the Sunderland draw
Manchester United legend Michael Carrick missed out on the opportunity to ensure the Red Devils would finish third in the Premier League table at the weekend.
However, United are still six points clear of fourth-place Liverpool and fifth-place Aston Villa going into their final two Premier League matches of the campaign.
Rio Ferdinand was baffled at how people felt that United’s display against Sunderland was a reason to dismiss Carrick from becoming the permanent manager.
“Yeah, I don’t disagree with that, though,” he said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
“I’m not saying that we were any better than what you’re saying. But when I see the negativity in terms of, ‘This is why Carrick shouldn’t be [the] manager, it’s like, I know that’s b——-.
“That ain’t why he shouldn’t be manager. It’s stupid to say something like that. Because you’re going to get games where you are under the […], especially away, how many games […] and people have got short memories. And forget even when we used to go away in our teams, you people consider a great team, yeah?
“And teams would be all over us. And we’d find a way to win. That’s just a difference now.”
Michael Carrick has now beaten Liverpool, City, Arsenal, Villa, and Chelsea – Do you want him to be the permanent manager?
What did he get right (and wrong) vs Liverpool?
Rio Ferdinand is more than happy with the Man Utd result from the Sunderland match under Michael Carrick
United will finish third in the Premier League table if Carrick can manage at least one point from his final two matches in charge at Old Trafford as interim head coach.
Ferdinand insisted that the Red Devils’ latest performance against Sunderland was no different to some of the results that were grinding out when he was a player.
“These guys never managed to find a way to win,” he said.
“But there were games where we would draw, or we would might drop points.
“That result and performance isn’t anything to, I think, beat Michael Carrick with in terms of saying [he shouldn’t be manager], that is why I see far too many people come up with that stupidness.”
United will play their final home Premier League match of the current season on Sunday, with the Red Devils welcoming Nottingham Forest to Old Trafford.
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