A comparison of the transition strategies of Manchester United and Liverpool under the management of Ruben Amorim and Arne Slot.

**Ferdinand Highlights Manchester United’s Struggles Amid Liverpool’s Success**

Rio Ferdinand has voiced his concerns regarding the current state of Manchester United, describing the atmosphere at the club as one filled with “confusion and noise.” This starkly contrasts with the “quiet and seamless” transition Liverpool have enjoyed since Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp.

The Red Devils have endured a tumultuous season, which has already seen Erik ten Hag dismissed from his managerial role. His successor, Ruben Amorim, has struggled to make a significant impact in his six weeks at the helm, leaving fans and pundits alike questioning the direction of the club.

Ferdinand, a stalwart of United’s glory days with six Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy to his name, expressed his frustration over the club’s inconsistent performances. He drew a comparison to Liverpool, who have thrived under Slot’s leadership, recently thrashing West Ham 5-0 to establish an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

“It’s a lot of confusion and noise over Manchester United compared to a very seamless, quiet kind of approach at Liverpool,” Ferdinand told CNN Sport in an exclusive interview. He further elaborated on the differences between the two clubs, highlighting the importance of a stable infrastructure behind the scenes.

“Liverpool’s squad was a much more stable squad as well,” he noted. “They had the components in there that were working but just weren’t maybe working the right way and needed fine-tuning.”

Ferdinand acknowledged the challenges United face, particularly with rivals like Manchester City and Liverpool competing at the highest level. “I always look at it as City winning, ‘that’s a nightmare’, or Liverpool going to be winning this year, ‘it’s a nightmare.’ I can suffer that over there a little bit if we’re starting to move and go in the right direction.”

The former defender stressed the need for patience as Amorim and the club’s new co-owners, Ineos, work to turn things around. “It’s got to be long-term thinking now,” he asserted. “It’s weird to say this of Manchester United, but I just don’t think we can put targets on things. We’re not in a position to do that.”

Ferdinand emphasized the extensive rebuilding required, not just in terms of player personnel but also in cultivating a positive culture and environment. “That’s going to take time, so to put a target above that in terms of position and winning things takes away from all of those four things that need building.”

He concluded with a hopeful vision for the future, stating, “We need to give Ineos the chance to prove that they are capable of dragging the club from where we are. In 2025, I hope Manchester United become a positive football club with positive energy around them, and the narrative isn’t always dejected disappointment.”

As the season progresses, the eyes of the football world will be keenly watching to see if United can indeed find their way back to the summit of English football.