Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has blamed Ruben Amorim for not using three players properly this season.

The Premier League giants have once again struggled to perform this season.

Amorim’s Man United are currently 11th in the league and their performances have come under scrutiny.

Speculation has even increased over the future of Amorim at Old Trafford due to his team’s disappointing start to the season.

Rio Ferdinand has criticised Amorim’s decision making

The former United defender suggested that Amorim’s overarching ideas are sound, but that individual role assignments are blunting the strengths of some of the club’s biggest names.

Ferdinand’s critique starts with United’s attacking structure. In his view, one senior forward has been asked to operate too often with their back to goal rather than on the shoulder, where pace and diagonal runs threaten the space behind.

The knock-on effect is felt everywhere, wingers become too narrow to compensate, the No. 10 drops deeper to connect play, and United’s counterpunch, once their most dangerous weapon, loses bite.

Speaking to The Times, he said: ‘Bruno [Fernandes] can play the deeper role he’s asked to play, but will he play it as well as he plays further up the pitch?

‘Why not put the most productive player...