Rio Ferdinand’s three things Sir Jim Ratcliffe needs to sort behind the scenes at Man Utd

After Manchester United’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday, they are now eighth in the Premier League standings. Rio Ferdinand has urged Sir Jim Ratcliffe to identify team weaknesses.

Rio Ferdinand has expressed how Man United can spot weaknesses in their armour (Image: YouTube/FIVE)

Rio Ferdinand, a legend of Manchester United, gave Sir Jim Ratcliffe some guidance after their 1-0 loss to Arsenal.

The former center back is well-versed in what makes a team successful, having won two League Cups, a Champions League trophy, and six Premier League titles during his tenure at Old Trafford. Based on the same reasoning, he ought to be a great asset for whatever a team might be missing to advance.

Despite having more possession and shooting opportunities than United on Sunday, Arsenal appeared to be the much more dangerous side the entire game. And it made 45-year-old Ferdinand wonder if something was wrong at Carrington.

Following United’s third consecutive defeat in a competitive match against the Gunners, Ferdinand was candid about his ideas for development. The former England player stated that on-pitch success depends heavily on the chemistry that exists behind the scenes in his most recent Vibe with FIVE podcast episode.

Ferdinand said in the Manchester Evening News: “That’s one of the things I think the club has got to look at, what’s going on behind the scenes: the training, the way the players are around the place [and] what’s the atmosphere like in the changing rooms and [around] the training ground?”

He went on to emphasize the value of creating a positive atmosphere, saying, “There’s a lot of merit to that. It will almost certainly not be right on the field if it isn’t around the training area.

The first home loss for United since February served as a stark reminder of the magnitude of the task ahead for Ratcliffe this summer. Erik ten Hag’s team is currently sitting eighth in the league after losing to Arsenal, which happened shortly after a 4-0 thumping at Crystal Palace.

Ten Hag, 54, has had a marked decline in performance this season despite having a strong first season leading United. To make matters worse, the club’s infrastructure issues were exposed on Sunday when a deluge of rain from Manchester caused chaos inside Old Trafford.

Ferdinand received a lot of praise for his leadership skills during his career and probably developed an eye for what signals a well-functioning team. Unfortunately, it appears that the lack of these same markers could help identify the areas in which United’s current roster is lacking.