Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has questioned Erik ten Hag’s decision to play Wout Weghorst as a number 10 following a disappointing 1-0 defeat at West Ham.
The Reds went behind in the first half after a howler from David de Gea and never responded after the break.
De Gea spilled the ball into his own net when Said Benrahma went for goal from 20 yards out.
United weren’t clinical enough to force a comeback, let alone equalise, and it makes for a nervy end to the season.
Weghorst, who has yet to score in the Premier League for United, came under criticism after being hauled off in the second half. He didn’t have any impact on the game and was deployed behind main striker Marcus Rashford.
“I just can’t understand it,” said former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch on BT Sport, as quoted by the Daily Mail. “I can’t get my head around what he offers in that position.”
Ferdinand agreed with Crouch, adding: “Man United’s number 10 doesn’t look like Weghorst in my eyes.
“If I am Sancho, Bruno [Fernandes], [Alejandro] Garnacho, [Anthony] Martial and I’m seeing him line-up as a no 10 in front of me, the number 10 shirt means something else.
“It’s a player that can create, who has got guile, who’s going to get between the lines and get on the half turn and bring other people into play in that sense and get goals. He doesn’t offer enough of those things I’ve said.”
On another note, Weghorst is expected to leave United at the end of the season when his loan deal expires.
United need to win 3 of their remaining 4 league matches to secure a spot in the top four. That will be difficult if we don’t start putting away our chances.
Next up is Wolves at home next weekend. All of these fixtures will feel like cup finals because we’ve made work a lot harder for ourselves.
Typical United.
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