Rio Ferdinand lists nine Manchester United players that are better than the current crop

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Manchester United great Rio Ferdinand was scathing in his assessment of United’s performance in their 2-0 defeat by Liverpool in the Europa League last night, listing nine different players that United have sold in recent years that are better than their current crop.

The former defender Ferdinand was speaking on BT Sport in his role as a pundit.

"Are [the nine players] they worse than the players that were out there? They're better than that team out there, them players.

"That's the problem and that's why where I see here's been a shift in the past couple of years is's almost, well it has gone backwards, and that's the disappoint thing."

After the match, After the match, United manager Louis van Gaal brushed aside the criticism from former players Ferdinand and Paul Scholes after the 2-0 Europa League defeat to Liverpool.

Only the heroics of goalkeeper David de Gea prevented a landslide at Anfield, although he was beaten by a first-half Daniel Sturridge penalty and a late close-range strike from Roberto Firmino.

Click through the gallery for Ferdinand’s nine players

Ferdinand and Scholes labelled the performance "disjointed" and "shambolic" but a tetchy Van Gaal was in no mood to tolerate the opinions of a successful former generation.

"Is it important what Rio Ferdinand is saying, is that important to you?" he responded when asked about what the ex-professionals had said.

"You don't give your opinion and then you give Rio Ferdinand's opinion - that is very strong of you.

"Of course Liverpool were the better team in the first half but in second half we did a better match than before that.

"We did not cope with the high pressure of Liverpool.

"We had expected that and for me it was a surprise we did not cope with it because they did it at their home match this year.

"That raised the atmosphere in the stadium and they created big chances but we had a very good goalkeeper and because of that we were in the match.

"I don't think we were very creative in the third and fourth phase but it is also the defence of Liverpool and you can give credit for that to Liverpool.

"We have to improve a lot to create more goals."