Manchester United legend and Premier League pundit Rio Ferdinand dropped a scathing verdict on Pep Guardiola and Manchester City after the team stumbled to a heavy Champions League defeat to Sporting Lisbon, MySportDab reports.
Sporting steamrollered to their biggest Champions League victory over the Premier League Champions at the Jose Alvalade Stadium on Tuesday night.
A seething tie between the two teams saw the Lions roast City with a 4-1 comeback victory.
Phil Foden opened the scoring for Manchester City just four minutes into the game but the lead was chalked off a few minutes later with Vitor Gyokeres’ goal.
Gyokeres’ strike saw the two sides head into the break with the scores tied.
In the second half, Sporting, despite having less possession, harangued Manchester City with two quick goals to complete the comeback.
Araujo first scored for the home just a minute into the second half. Three minutes after Araujo’s goal, Sporting won a penalty and Gyokeres converted it to net his second goal and extend the lead for the home side.
Trailing 3-1, City were heading for their first defeat in the competition in Portugal but they had a chance to pull their way into the game after winning a spot-kick.
However, Erling Haaland missed the spot-kick to the hosts’ huge relief. Gyokeres would score again via the spot to bag his hat-trick to seal a 4-1 victory over City.
Reacting to Sporting’s historic victory over Manchester City, Rio Ferdinand said Pep Guardiola will be scared of Ruben Amorim.
“You want a bit of sunshine and hopefully Ruben Amorim can bring that. But it’s going to take some time it is not an overnight job, but Pep will be scared,” he said.
Rio Ferdinand’s comment was a reference to Ruben Amorim’s imminent move to Manchester United as the new manager.
From the shores of Portuguese football, Amorim will move to the Premier League as Man United manager where he will be a near-foe to Pep Guardiola in the English top flight.
The 4-1 thrashing of Manchester City in the Champions League was his last home game with Sporting and what a way to send a message to his readiness to reverse the doldrum of deadlock at Manchester United.
United announced him as new manager days after Erik ten Hag was sacked and he is expected to resume in the Old Trafford’s dugout on November 11, 2024, during the November international break.
