Rio Ferdinand was critical of Dayot Upamecano’s performance against Manchester United and said that Marcus Rashford schooled him in Wednesday night’s 5-0 win.
Upamecano, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday this week, was given a torrid time at Old Trafford as RB Leipzig were thumped 5-0 in the Champions League.
The towering centre-back, who was so impressive for the Bundesliga side in the Champions League last season, was given a night to forget with Ferdinand labelling his display as a “nightmare”.
The Times reported this week that United were planning to make a move for Upamecano next summer.
The paper claims United “considered making an approach for the player in the summer”.
However, he signed a new three-year contract with Leipzig that removed a release clause of €50m.
Upamecano’s new deal with the Bundesliga club is believed to contain a release clause, but that has dropped to £38m which will become active next summer.
Solskjaer did comment about the defender in the led up to the game, but he will surely have been left baffled by Upamecano’s display.
Solskjaer said: “There’s always rumours and speculation about good players for Manchester United.
“I’ve always tried to respect they are players for other teams and don’t want to comment on every player we are linked to.
“But since he’s playing against us tomorrow, I know he’s a very good player and we can see him close up tomorrow.”
Ferdinand did not mince his words about the Leipzig man and said hat-trick hero Rashford wiped the floor with him.
‘Rashford: Too quick, too strong’
Discussing Rashford’s super-sub cameo performance in the BT Sport studio, Ferdinand said: “He’s on fire. ‘The only way I can explain tonight’s little cameo was it was almost like being in the playground at school and the big boy, the sixth-former, comes and plays with the first years and just bullies everyone.
“Too quick, too strong and takes their dinner money. He did the lot tonight, he was head and shoulders above them.
“He made defenders who we were marvelling about before the game, who we saw last season play really well in the Champions League, he made them look like schoolboys tonight.
“This is about being ruthless but I thought Upamecano had a nightmare today. This is the ruthlessness. There was no doubt in your mind, once he went through there, the confidence he’s showing at the moment and just his intent of hitting the back of the net and getting amongst the goals.
“Game over. There’s a venom when he hits it like that.”
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