"Bruno Fernandes 'did not connect' with Ronaldo at Man Utd"

The post-Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United have improved a lot compared to the period when the Portuguese was at the club. The Red Devils are now in their best form of the season.

Now, Rio Ferdinand has been keen to discuss why. He pointed to the Al Nassr striker's link, or lack of it, with former team-mate Bruno Fernandes.

"There are some players where their game just does not connect and I think Cristiano and Bruno... Bruno was just better when he was not there or not in the team," Ferdinand said on his 'Vibe With Five' show.

The former defender believes that "it could be because Bruno needs to be the guy that the game goes through", and with Cristiano, "the problem is that because of his reputation, and how good he is, people think they need to find him".

"If he wasn't getting that first look, maybe he became a bit disinterested, I don't know, and it didn't suit him. You are seeing the best of him now because the game seems to be going through him more often" he said.

Ferdinand pointed to the past: "I've played in teams where you have a great '9'. When they are that good, you look beyond that, and I had Scholes and Carrick," he said.