‘Do they go out and play with niggles?’ – Ferdinand wants Manchester United to push through the pain barrier

Rio Ferdinand believes that modern day players are more reluctant to play with niggling injuries and questioned their desire to go through the pain barrier.

The Manchester United legend debated the topic with fellow BT Sport pundits Joe Cole and Joleon Lescott ahead of the Red Devils’ match against Everton, as Anthony Martial picked up an injury in the warm-up.

“Joe, how many games did you play without a niggle? That’s a question you would level at the modern day player,” Ferdinand said on BT Sport.

“I remember only playing a handful of games without a niggle.”

Former Everton and Manchester City defender Lescott backed up Ferdinand’s claims and said niggles come with the territory of competing at the highest level.

“It’s about understanding what the problem is,” Lescott said.

“No player will ever feel 100 per cent, it’s about knowing what you can get through and what may prevent you from playing.”

Martial’s general form for United was also under discussion, with the Frenchman having spent a largely underwhelming seven years at Old Trafford to date.

“When he [Martial] burst onto the scene they were comparing him to some great players,” Cole said.

“He’s one of those players who’s gone to Sevilla [last term on loan] and it hasn’t really worked out for him. He’s come back and you don’t get many second chances in football.”

The Red Devils sit 14th out of the 20 Premier League teams in ‘possession won in the final third per 90 minutes’, managing to do so just 4.3 times.

This is in sharp contrast to Ten Hag’s Ajax side, which topped the statistic in last season’s Dutch Eredivisie.

Ferdinand said: “I heard something about the coaches saying how impressed they were with the front players, and that they were great talents. But when you go into a season, you see the minerals of the players, and what happens when the going gets tough.

“These players have proven they can’t do it [pressing] over long periods. They can do it in fits and starts, but top teams work on it every single week. This team hasn’t done it and they have to prove they can to this manager.”