Man Utd legend blasts Van Gaal: “You are going backwards”, fans going crazy on Twitter

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has slammed Louis Van Gaal after the Red Devils’ campaign slipped to a new low thanks to defeat at the hands of relegation threatened Bournemouth.

Speaking to the media after his old side lost at the Vitality Stadium by two goals to one, Ferdinand said, “Manchester United are going backwards again and I don’t see that changing because the manager will not change. Players are playing it safe because they are afraid of the consequences if they try to take chances. They have to be allowed to express themselves.”

United look a shadow of their former selves and Louis Van Gaal, the man entrusted with bringing the Red Devils back to the pinnacle of European football, looks as if he has lost the plot. The Dutch manager has had to endure a really difficult week after he saw his side drop out of the UEFA Champions League as they lost a must-win encounter in Germany against Wolfsburg.

Following their demotion to the Europa League, Van Gaal needed a fantastic result to bounce back but what he got from his side against lowly Bournemouth was yet another poor display and yet another loss. United’s poor displays this season have really turned the heat up on their experienced manager and quite a large percentage of the United following seem to have grown impatient with their boss.

Rio Ferdinand, one of Sir Alex Ferguson most trusted legionnaires, is only the latest former player to have spoken out against LvG. The six-time Premier League winner added, “If United finish outside the top four, that will be catastrophic. It might rule out the chance of getting either Guardiola or Ancelotti and the question is will they be able to do a better job than Van Gaal. It will be more difficult to attract the best players, too. The next six months are absolutely crucial.”