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6 months ago
40 I wouldn’t advise listening to Rio Ferdinand if you are looking for a glimmer of hope in the FA Cup final this weekend, unless you feel his match predictions are crap.
It should be added that I never recommended listening to Ferdinand. I merely cite some of the stuff he says…
Ferdinand has got ‘no confidence’ in his former club’s chances ahead of the FA Cup final and believes it will require a ‘crazy effort’ to beat Man City, which would be the case for any team.
United go to Wembley after an immensely difficult campaign and finishing eighth in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s City side are looking to complete the Double. They beat us 2-1 in last year’s final as well as on two separate occasions in the Premier League this term.
That’s why City are favourites and United are underdogs.
Previewing the final on the Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE YouTube channel, the former England centre-back predicted it would take a ‘huge amount of luck and fortune’ for United to come out on top at Wembley.
“Based on what I’ve seen this season from both sides, Manchester City and Manchester United, I’ve got no confidence, I have to say,” Ferdinand told his viewers.
“It’s the first time I’m going to a cup final with Man United and thinking that we have a very, very, very, very small chance of winning this game.
“You always backed Man United, ‘It’s the cup final, Man United are gonna win this’, or, ‘Man United have got a real good chance to win it’.
“The gap between Man United and City now is at its biggest that it has ever been. The fall off that we’ve had compared to them right now is huge so how can I, in my right mind, go into this game with any sort of confidence?”
Ferdinand added: “You have a puncher’s chance because we’ve got someone like Bruno [Fernandes] maybe or Marcus [Rashford] or [Alejandro] Garnacho who can have a moment, an explosive moment. Remember Marcus’ goal against them earlier in the season.
“There are people that can do that but can we keep City out for the rest of the game? You’ll sitting there on tenterhooks, I’d be losing hair for the 90 minutes, the beard going even greyer.
“But you have hope, we’re football fans. You sit there and we have hope, man. Hope, craziness almost… borderline nuts! But you do have hope as a football fan and that’s how we live.
“But it’s going to be an absolute crazy effort and huge amount of luck and fortune, I think, for us to get anything out of this game.”
When asked to give his prediction, Ferdinand said: “My heart says Man United on penalties and we limp to penalties, but my head says City are going to beat us.
“I can’t give a score. I just think they’ll win, I’ve got to be honest.
“They will take it out of our hands and we won’t even see the ball.”
Ten Hag is also pushing for INEOS to make a change with the manager, which probably explains his stance ahead of the final. He has never been the most supportive of Ten Hag and it’s always been telling.
“I don’t think it matters. I honestly feel that it’s gone too far now,” he continued.
“I’d be surprised if INEOS kept Ten Hag as the manager next season. There’s something in my that’s telling me that.”
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