Rio Ferdinand left his TNT colleagues stunned on Saturday with his insistence that Manchester United would finish in the top four this season.
Despite the dramatic Boxing Day win over Aston Villa, United's season has thus far been plagued by inconsistency. As well as suffering a humiliating early European exit, Erik ten Hag's side are seventh in the Premier League, currently six points off the Champions League places.
Their total of 13 losses pre-Christmas is the most since United's 1930/31 season, leaving huge question marks over Ten Hag's future. But ahead of the Luton Town v Chelsea clash, Ferdinand was animated as he responded to a prediction from co-pundit Jermaine Jenas that Tottenham would miss out on a top-four finish, despite early-season expectation.
"Who said they would sneak into the top four? I didn’t say they would sneak in," said Ferdinand. "Manchester United will be there. I don’t think the new ownership will have any bearing on it, I think they will be observers and looking behind the scenes, but I think the injuries to Manchester United, they have had one of the most injury-ravaged teams this season."
Foreseeing an upturn in form from his ex-club in 2024, Ferdinand added: "Come January, a lot of those players will be back and they will have an impact on this team going forward. They are still in touch and back in the top four."
An astonished Jenas fired back, saying: "Do you honestly believe this? Do you believe what you are saying? I remember you having a meltdown. Mine was a legitimate one. I just don’t think I had a bias nature with mine."
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Ferdinand responded with a taunt about Jenas previously playing for Aston Villa, the team his former England teammate had previously tipped to finish fourth. But Jenas wasn't backing down, describing the United call as a "mad one."
And there was still time for a further back-and-forth when the man who won the Champions League with United in 2008 argued them qualifying for Europe's elite competition would represent an "okay" season. "I think that is an unbelievable season," Jenas replied.
The latest test for Ten Hag and co comes on Saturday evening when they go to Nottingham Forest. That's followed by an FA Cup tie at Wigan on January 8, a competition that realistically represents their last chance of winning a trophy this season.
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