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Rio Ferdinand calls Manchester United an embarrassment

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pleaded for time to get Manchester United back on track, after the beleaguered boss and his underperforming stars were booed off and labelled an "embarrassment" following yesterday morning's (Singapore time) 2-0 defeat by Burnley.

Solskjaer's side were rocked by Chris Wood's first-half opener before Jay Rodriguez scored with a superb strike after the break at Old Trafford.

Former United captain Rio Ferdinand, an English Premier League and Champions League winner with the club, slammed the performance and called for owners, the Glazer family, to take action to stop the rot.

"Fans are walking out after 84 minutes! It's an embarrassment. People at the top need to look and see this and make changes," Ferdinand told BT Sport.

"The downward spiral in this short space of time, it's only seven years, has been remarkable."

Solskjaer had no complaints about a result that highlighted a rudderless team lacking steel in defence, creativity in midfield and a cutting edge up front, reported AFP.

He said: "We have got to hold our hands up and say it wasn't good enough. In the first half, we created some half-openings, but we were not sharp enough to take our chances.

"The boys... are experiencing this period for the first time in their lives.

"When you are at Manchester United, you are playing at the biggest and best club in the world. Some of them have played 10, 12, 15 games and it's not easy for them..."

But Solskjaer is still adamant he can turn the tide if he is given time to develop United youngsters like Mason Greenwood, 18, and Brandon Williams, 19.

He said: "I'm going to back them and help them get through this... It is a test I am sure they are going to come through."

United trail fourth-placed Chelsea by six points but, given how they have struggled so often this season, the only surprise is that the gap is not bigger.

United's tally of 34 points is their lowest after 24 matches of a top-flight season since 1989/90, and the majority of Old Trafford were on their feet when chants of "stand up if you hate the Glazers" rang out.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward was also subjected to abusive chants, while the few fans who remained in the stadium booed Solskjaer and his players at full time.

Despite United's fourth defeat this month, Sky Sports reported that the Norwegian will not be sacked.

Ex-Liverpool striker Peter Crouch said on BT Sport: "This squad has got to be the worst in the last 30 years... This is one of the biggest clubs in the world and it has been run badly."

Wood, meanwhile, said: "Look, I don't think (Old Trafford is intimidating). I think the last couple of years we have come here and been up 2-0 both times and thrown it away."

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