Rio Ferdinand makes bold prediction for Manchester United’s Europa League second leg clash against Barcelona
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is confident that the Red Devils will beat Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League clash on Thursday, February 23.
He has also confidently predicted that Erik Ten Hag's team will beat Newcastle United in the League Cup final two days after the Barcelona clash. If they do, it will be their first trophy in the last six years.
Two huge games ahead for #MUFC this week
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Speaking about Manchester United's upcoming matches, Ferdinand made bold claims and told FIVE:
"We won against Leicester, we’ll beat Newcastle and I think we'll beat Barca as well."
Manchester United played out a 2-2 draw against Barcelona in the first leg on February 16 at the Spotify Camp Nou.
The Red Devils have had a wonderful season under Ten Hag after a few early upsets in the Premier League. Having lost just one game in their last five league matches, United stand in third position in the table with 49 points.
They are five points behind table leaders Arsenal, who have a game in hand, and just three points behind second-placed Manchester City.
United's success in the League Cup final would end their six-year-long trophy drought, and a lot of credit for this would be given to their Dutch manager. Ten Hag dealt with several on and off-the-pitch issues in his debut Premier League season as a manager. Perhaps the biggest amongst them was the fallout with club legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Erik Ten Hag stats at #ManUnited 🚀💎
• PPG: 2.28
• Win Percentage: 72.22%
• Scored per Match: 1.88 goals ⚽️
• Conceded per Match: 0.97 goals 🥅
Total games in 22/23:
• Managed: 36
• Won: 26
• Drawn: 4
• Lost: 6
Great and unbelievable! #ErikTenHag #ETH https://t.co/56slWlmDR5
However, the former Ajax manager stuck to his job. He brought in critical changes to help the squad understand the humongous task and kickstarted the English club's revival.
He has also made key signings such as Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Antony, and all three have been instrumental in Manchester United's success this season.
Under Ten Hag, Marcus Rashford has found his goal-scoring form again, amassing 24 goals in 36 appearances across competitions.
Marcus Rashford has equaled Cristiano Ronaldo's goal scoring tally for Manchester United last season when he was their top scorer.
Filling his shoes 👏 https://t.co/w8Ga8FcrrK
Fans and former players, including Ferdinand, are now confident that the Dutchman has what it takes to manage a legacy club like Manchester United.
Ten Hag's authority on the team and his gradual approach to turning things around at Old Trafford has earned him huge respect and support.
Qatari Sheikh Jassim Al Thani aims to clear Manchester United's debts, rebuild the stadium and training grounds after potential takeover
Amidst ongoing discussions over Manchester United's potential takeover from the Glazers family, Qatari Sheikh Jassim Al Thani has laid out plans for the club's revival if he wins the bid.
Sheikh Jassim will be clearing the club’s debts, and he will then spend whatever it takes to return Manchester United to the top of European football, rebuilding the stadium and training ground in the process. #MUFC [@TheAthleticFC] https://t.co/K1XwXMr75K
As per Athletic, the Qatari billionaire aims to clear the debt of the English club. He will also look to built a modern stadium and set up world-class training facilities, something the fans have been demanding for a long time.
The Glazers family have put up a £6-7 billion price to sell their ownership. Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe submitted their separate bids on Friday, 17 February. However, the two bids are reported to be below the asking price of the current owners, keeping the ownership uncertainty looming over the English giants.