knockout blow

Rio Ferdinand likened the end of Erik ten Hag’s tenure at Manchester United to a boxer falling to the ground and unable to recover.

The former United defender covered Ten Hag’s sacking live on his YouTube channel while on holiday in the Maldives.

And he described the 3-0 defeat at home to Liverpool on September 1 as the match that started the run of poor results.

Since their defeat to Liverpool they have managed just three more wins in all competitions, which ultimately led to Ten Hag’s departure.

“They kept the guy in charge, the season is starting, I thought we were actually starting to see some new signs in the first two or three games, then we got beat by Liverpool and never got back together,” he said.

“It was like a boxer who gets hit and knocked down in the third round, never to recover and getting knocked out and knocked down in every round leading up to the 12th round.

“And we’re finally here. The fight was canceled in the last round for the coach and I think we’re going to go in a new direction now.”

Ferdinand added: “I think in the coming weeks we’ll see the method behind this madness because if the two coaches, Ruud van Nistelrooy and his partner, stay there then I think it’s been done with a long-term thought in mind.

“But one win in eight games is not good for Ten Hag and I don’t think he or anyone else is surprised by that.

“My biggest job is taking me so long. One of the best candidates sitting there was probably Thomas Tuchel, but he’s gone now, he’s become England manager.”

“England will be happy with it, but I think Man United will look at it as ‘Maybe that was the one that got away?’ ” he will look at me.