• Premier League

Ferdinand: Poor form a 'personal insult'

Rio Ferdinand has revealed how Manchester United's forgettable first season under the stewardship of David Moyes has made it difficult for him to go about his daily life.

The reigning champions are well out of the title race and look certain to miss out on a top four finish, with only a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich to look forward to.

And Ferdinand, speaking to BT Sport, described his side's miserable form as "a personal insult".

Fergie takes the blame

Moyes is under increasing pressure © Getty Images

• The Daily Mail reports that Manchester United's patience with David Moyes is being driven by the belief that he inherited a poor squad from predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson.
• The newspaper claims executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is minded to give Moyes a chance in the summer to sign his own players and build his own legacy.
• A club source is quoted as saying: "It was like looking behind the curtain of the Wizard of Oz and seeing there was nothing there to work with.
• "It was always known that David would have things to address behind the scenes but there has been much, much more and it has taken longer than was anticipated.
• "Sir Alex had such a hold on the club that he was left to get on with it. His methods worked for him."

He said: "It's embarrassing. I don't want to go out when the game is finished and you even stop watching TV. I don't want to take my kids to school. I don't want to fill my car up with petrol or go to the shops.

"I don't want to walk on the school path and think I'm hearing things or seeing people look at me because we lost a game.

"It gets personal with everyone looking at you and talking about the results and the form and stuff. You don't want to live like that. You want to live freely and comfortably."

United's Premier League season has hit a new low in recent weeks, with a promising victory at West Ham sandwiched by back-to-back 3-0 defeats at Old Trafford to Liverpool and Manchester City.

And Ferdinand admitted it is too painful to watch their arch rivals competing for the title.

"You don't want to see that," he said. "You don't want to see other people lifting titles. That's what we're used to. That's what we want. That's what we train for and work for.

"Don't get me wrong, we've got no divine right. You've got to earn that right - and this season, we simply haven't done that."

Ferdinand's criticism may be interpreted in some quarters as another attack on Moyes. The defender and manager have seemed at odds at various points in the season and with Ferdinand's United career apparently coming to a close, he took a verbal swipe at the Scot earlier this season.

Ferdinand, who has not always been first choice under Moyes, was unhappy with the way players found out about team selection and his latest honest assessment will not ease the pressure on Sir Alex Ferguson's successor.

There have been claims, in the wake of United's humiliating home defeat by Manchester City on Tuesday, that the players have turned against the manager.

The fans, increasingly, have also shown their discontent and as United look to rectify the derby defeat when they face Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime - some are rumoured to have hired a plane to fly over the stadium with a banner declaring their loss of faith in Moyes.

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