Former TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand has argued that two important first-team Manchester United players are both lacking one crucial quality needed for Ruben Amorim’s tactical system.
Ruben Amorim has already faced early – and intense – scrutiny over Manchester United’s mixed start to the 2025-26 Premier League campaign at Old Trafford.
United lost 1-0 to Arsenal in their Premier League opener at Old Trafford, but the Red Devils did earn widespread praise for their overall performance on the day.
The Red Devils collected their first Premier League point of the new season on Sunday, with United playing out a 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage.
United impressed against Fulham in the first half and took the lead after the break, but the Red Devils’ influence waned in the second half of the Premier League tie.
Marco Silva’s men were able to snatch a crucial equaliser late into the second half and United manager Ruben Amorim missed out on collecting all three points.
READ MORE: ‘This isn’t the’… Rio Ferdinand thinks ‘every’ Fulham fan and player ‘thought’ exact same message about Man Utd
Former TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand during the Europa League match between Manchester United and Lyon at Old Trafford in 2025 in Manchester, England.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
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Rio Ferdinand reacts to Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes after Man Utd’s first two Premier League matches
Ruben Amorim’s tactical system at Manchester United has seen Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes deployed in the two-man midfield pivot against Arsenal and Fulham.
Casemiro was subbed off in both the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal and the 1-1 draw against Fulham, while Bruno Fernandes has played the full 90 minutes on both occasions.
Rio Ferdinand has now spoken out on Amorim’s preferred midfield pair to start matches and believes that United are lacking “physicality” in the middle of the park.
However, the 46-year-old United legend insisted that the physicality element specifically translated to “legs” and the inability to cover more of the pitch.
“But I think when you look at… you play Bruno and Casemiro in there,” he said on the ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’ YouTube channel.
“What’s the thing that’s lacking? And I think it’s the physicality. In terms of not physicality from Casemiro because I think he can handle himself, not a problem.
“That’s part of his game. But legs. Legs to get around when you’re a two in there and the pitch gets spread open and it becomes a bit transitional as it does in some games.
“At some point, it’s going to happen. Can Man United be as dynamic around the pitch in that area to nullify the opposition?”
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Rio Ferdinand’s assessment of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro has Man Utd legend pointing out a problem from the Fulham match
Speaking on both Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, Ferdinand insisted that United’s weakness in midfield was all but present in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
The 46-year-old former England and United defender admitted that it was a “concern” to see how Fulham could play the ball in behind Fernandes and Casemiro.
“And again, I go back to what we said on the live the other day, the comments from [Marco] Silva, the comments from [Alex] Iwobi, ‘We knew they were going to play two in that midfield and we knew we could play in behind them and get in around them and turn it into a positive for us,’” Ferdinand continued.
“And that would be a concern for me. Um, and unless Man United’s team are very condensed and compact, those gaps will appear, and that would be a worry.”
United and Grimsby Town will meet in the second round of the Carabao Cup at Blundell Park on Wednesday evening, with kick-off at 8pm UK time.