Rio Ferdinand joined fans in blasting his former team mate-turned-pundit for rinsing the axed boss on telly and putting him 'under pressure'
20:12, 05 Jan 2026Updated 07:57, 06 Jan 2026
Rio Ferdinand
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Rio Ferdinand was left reeling(Image: Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Manchester United has plunged into civil war after Rio Ferdinand joined fans in blaming fellow club legend Gary Neville for boss Ruben Amorim’s sacking.
The Portuguese head coach was fired 24 hours after name-dropping player-turned-pundit Neville in a fiery press conference following United’s 1-1 draw with Leeds on Sunday. Before storming out Amorim suggested the club’s hierarchy ‘cannot handle’ criticism from the Sky Sports’ star - who played 400 times for United over 19 years and won every major honour.
Hinting at a bust-up with United bosses behind the scenes Amorim said: “If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticism of everything we need to change the club.” After Amorim was axed the next day an army of United fans turned on former hero Neville, 50, suggesting he should step in as manager as ‘he obviously knows best’.
Gary Neville on the Overlap
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Gary Neville has been accused of being too harsh on Ruben Amorim(Image: The Overlap/YouTube)
Their ranks were swelled by fellow player-turned-pundit Rio Ferdinand who vowed to confront his ex-team mate - and Neville’s fellow Sky Sports’ pundit Jamie Carragher - over their criticism of the bulleted boss.
Rio, 47, who won six Premier and a Champions League playing alongside Neville, said the TV pair had ‘rinsed’ Amorim ‘straight away’ the moment United ‘weren’t winning a few games’ and had put the head coach ‘under pressure’.
At the same he said the duo had not deployed the ‘same energy’ criticising Liverpool manager Arne Slot though United’s traditional rivals had endured one of their ‘worst’ starts to a season.
He told his Rio Presents YouTube channel he would be sending Neville and 47-year-old ex-Liverpool defender Carragher ‘a message’.
“I’ll text them. Because they had Amorim straight away getting rinsed, under pressure, when he weren’t winning a few games,” Rio said.
“I’d like to see the same energy for Arne Slot right now please. It’s the worst start they’ve had to a season since Brendan Rodgers was sacked.
“It’s about parity. It’s about balance. It’s about treating one like the other.
“We all want that when we’re growing up as kids. We want it as adults as well when supporting our teams.”
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Gary Neville(Image: Getty Images)
Rio’s rant was backed by many United fans who messaged him ‘respect’ and ‘well said’.
One, who posted the clip on X, tweeted: “Fair play to Rio Ferdinand for calling out pundits like Carragher, Gary Neville during Amorim's time at Man Utd.”
Another said: “Time for @GNev2 to stfu tbh.”
“Kudos Rio,” added another.
One more said: “Yes totally agree with you mate. The inconsistency of @GNev2 and @Carra23 is staggering.”
Another said: “@SkySports and their pundits are Liverpool simps.”
Other supporters slammed Neville for his role in Amorim’s downfall.
One wrote online: “They should appoint Gary Neville as he obviously knows best.”
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Ruben Amorim during his last match in charge of Manchester United at Elland Road, Leeds(Image: PA)
Another said: “I used to love Neville as a player. Now that he's a pundit and commentator on pretty much any subject that he thinks he knows best, he's turned into a particular sort of banker.”
One more wrote: “How he has the nerve to pass judgement on other managers is beyond me. Good player, rubbish manager.”
“Give the job to ‘know all’ mouthy Gary Neville. Armchair coach and manager. Easier with the microphone!...lol,” said one more.
Speaking after Amorim name-checked him but before the boss was sacked Neville said he had been ‘quite supportive’ of the team ‘in the last few weeks’.
He said: “It’s not explicit what he means but everyone’s having to read between the lines. What he means looks to me that he’s not happy with something within the hierarchy.
“He has mentioned my name in there as well. That’s one of the sort of things that managers tend to do towards difficult periods. They tend to sort of have a go at pundits. No problem with that whatsoever.
“I’ve actually been quite supportive in the last few weeks of Manchester United ’s performances against Bournemouth and against Aston Villa and against Newcastle.
“I thought they were very good.
DERBY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Darren Fletcher, Manager of Manchester United looks on during the U18's Premier League match between Derby County and Manchester United at Moor Farm Training Centre on August 30, 2025 in Derby, England. (Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Darren Fletcher has taken over as interim manager of Manchester United(Image: Manchester United, Manchester United via Getty Images)
“I couldn’t be supportive after the game the other night against Wolves.
“If that’s what Ruben Amorim was referring to.
“It wasn’t right the other night against Wolves and you have to say that as well. It wasn’t right when we played against Everton with 10 men and we kept three players at the back.”
A smiling Amorim gave a thumbs-up to photographers as he and wife Maria took a walk in the snow following his dismissal at training yesterday.
Former United midfielder Darren Fletcher, 41, who played alongside both Neville and Ferdinand and was the club’s U18s coach - has been put in charge of the first team until a permanent replacement can be found.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, 51, who is out of contract in the summer, is said to be favourite.
But United’s woes extend beyond the pitch.
Part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, 73, may reportedly need to take a step back from running the club to focus on his chemical company Ineos’s financial troubles.
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It is said to be saddled with debts totalling £18bn.
That could impact United’s plans to build a 100,000-seat super stadium and planned investment on new players.