‘It’s a joke’: Rio singles out one Red who’s been ‘so bad recently’ to the point he ‘looks fearful’ | OneFootball

Rio Ferdinand was in the same boat as the rest of the Manchester United faithful following the side’s dismal FA Cup exit last Sunday.

It perhaps says something that United were able to take it to the final stage of a penalty shootout rather than being overturned in regular or extra-time, though they still fell at the final hurdle when Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee were denied by Bernd Leno.

Now, it’s Europa League or bust for Ruben Amorim if he wants to claim silverware in his maiden term – or be playing a form of European football in 2025/2026. Truth be told, fans aren’t holding out for either, given how the campaign has played out up to this stage.

The head coach has recently promoted youth prospect Chido Obi to the first-team amid Amad Diallo’s season-ending injury setback, with the prolific ex-Arsenal starlet renowned for his ability to score goals for fun in the academy.

A bright cameo from Chido Obi put Rasmus Hojlund to shame

Chido Obi has impresed since making his debut on February 16. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

He’s still waiting to open his account at senior level but did come close in the second half of the weekend’s cup clash. Leno was, unfortunately, equal to the striker’s attempt, though he continued to impress in other aspects of his game.

For example, Chido created as many big chances in 52 minutes as Rasmus Hojlund has done in 22 Premier League matches, only further showcasing just how concerning United’s No.9’s stagnant form has been as of late.

“That result killed me. I was on the floor. This United side can’t create chances. They can’t score goals. It’s a joke,” said Ferdinand when reacting to United crashing out of the FA Cup.

“For me, because Hojlund has been so off it and so bad recently when you saw that kid [Chido Obi] come on, everyone got excited with the little things. It was refreshing to see from a kid that young.

“Hojlund looks fearful on the pitch. Chido is still rough around the edges, and you’d expect that, given his age. But what I have no doubt about is that he will get chances.

“I watched him against my two boys, and the way he played against Fulham was [the] exact the same. The ball falls, and he’s there.”

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