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Man Utd news: Rio Ferdinand reveals the main issue behind Jose Mourinho concerns
MANCHESTER UNITED have struggled defensively because their centre-backs are too far apart from each other.
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That’s the opinion of club legend Rio Ferdinand.
The Red Devils stormed to a 2-0 win at Watford this evening, easing pressure on manager Jose Mourinho.
They had made their worst start to a Premier League season defensively, conceding seven goals in their opening three games.
And former defender Ferdinand admits he has spotted several blunders from United’s defence throughout the season - a concern that Jose Mourinho has made no secret about in recent weeks.
There’s too big a space between the centre-backs here
“This season I think almost every game there’s been an element of thinking ‘you wouldn’t expect that from a defender',” he said on BT Sport before the game.
“They’ve made mistakes individually but also collectively.
“[Victor] Lindelof here [in the 3-2 loss against Brighton] makes a mistake losing his man which leads to the goal. It’s slack play.”
However, following a clean sheet at Burnley, and a much improved performance at Vicarage Road today, Mourinho will no doubt be pleased with how his backline is shaping up.
The Portuguese has regularly chopped and changed his central-defensive partnerships this season, originally starting Eric Bailly alongside Lindelof for his side’s first two games.
But he now appears to have found a partnership he can trust, with Swedish international Lindelof and Chris Smalling only conceding once while playing together.
Bailly is yet to return to Mourinho’s starting line-up since the Brighton loss, coming off the bench against Burnley and Watford, while Lindelof has played every game besides the 3-0 to Tottenham.
Chris Smalling and Phil Jones were drafted in for that game, but Ferdinand was less than impressed with the English duo’s performance.
“There’s too big a space between the centre-backs here [in the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham]. It’s criminal,” he said.
“Middle of the goal, you’ve got to shut that area down.
“There have been lapses in concentration all throughout the early part of the season,” he added.
“It’s rash decisions that people are making and things are happening from it. They’re getting punished.
“The line in the defence is all over the place. They’re all at sea and there’s no cohesion.”
Smalling will have done no harm to his selection chances, scoring his side’s second with an impressive volley from a corner.
Romelu Lukaku scored his side’s first with a tap-in after the Hornets failed to clear a corner, before Nemanja Matic was sent off in the dying embers of the game for a second bookable offence.
The win takes United up to eighth, leapfrogging Everton and Leicester.