Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand has expressly told his son, Cree that he cannot stop supporting United after the Reds’ defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
This comes after the Red Devils suffered a stoppage time 4-3 loss away from home to underperforming Chelsea.
Ferdinand had to take to his Instagram handle to outrightly set the records straight.
Rio Ferdinand to his son, Cree, on Instagram
“Just telling Cree he can’t change the team he supports after last night (Thursday)”, the caption of the Instagram post the former Manchester United defender shared read.
Cree is Ferdinand and Kate Wright’s first child together after the demise of Ferdinand’s first wife.
Kate, known for her stint on “The Only Way Is Essex” between 2015 and 2017, found love with former West Ham United star Rio Ferdinand after the tragic death of his first wife, Rebecca Ellison, to breast cancer at just 34-year-old.
The loss led Rio to share his journey through grief in the book “Thinking Out Loud” co-authored with Decca Aitkenhead.
The couple, blending their lives and families, married on September 27, 2019, in a ceremony embraced by Rio’s three children from his previous marriage – Lorenz, Tate, and Tia.
Amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, they joyfully announced the pending arrival of their first child together.
Cree, born on December 18, 2020, was a new addition to the family, as Kate openly shared her hopes and concerns about integrating Cree into their uniquely blended family dynamic.
Ferdinand Blames Dalot
Manchester United led 3-2 in the 99th minute but ended up losing 4-3 with Cole Palmer striking twice to turn the exhilarating game around on Thursday, April 4.
During his punditry stint with TNT Sports, Ferdinand criticized a crucial incident that led to Chelsea equalizing, remaining critical of Diogo Dalot’s contentious penalty foul on Noni Madueke around the 100th-minute mark.
Despite the call being deemed harsh by some, Ferdinand reproached Dalot for his lapse, emphasizing the inappropriate timing and gravity of the error.
This incident marked the second time in a week that Manchester United’s left-back position was spotlighted for costly mistakes, following Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s criticized performance against Brentford, as noted by Peter Schmeichel.
Meanwhile, Manchester United return to action on Sunday, April 7, 2024, facing Liverpool in a Matchday 32 Premier League affair.
The Red Devils are looking to bounce back in a herculean game against the Reds, having failed to pick up wins in their last two league matches.
Erik Ten Hag’s side drew Brentford 1-1, before calamitously losing to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge by 4-3 as aforementioned.
Ten Hag confident in Manchester United players
Ten Hag has remained confident of his side this season and has on many occasions lauded them for their showing this term, despite their underwhelming display this season.
It will be interesting to see how they fare against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool on Sunday, April 7, 2024, having picked up an emotional victory against the Reds in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup about a fortnight ago.
The Red Devils sit 6th on the Premier League table, with 48 points from 30 league matches, 11 points adrift 4th placed Aston Villa, who currently occupy the final Champions League spot.
It is unknown if England will be handed an extra slot by UEFA, due to the expansion of the competition from the 2024/24 season.
Given the current realities, Manchester United will have to strive extremely hard if they are to make it to the elite continental competition, whilst they will be hoping that other teams in front of them falter.
