Rio Ferdinand has criticised Ruben Amorim for an in-game tactic that he said he ‘would have hated’ when he was a player.

Manchester United came close to dropping vital Premier League points in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford, with Trevoh Chalobah’s late goal setting up a nervy finish.

United looked to be in full control when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was sent off in the fifth minute for a rash challenge on Bryan Mbeumo.

Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro then gave the hosts a comfortable lead, but momentum shifted just before half-time when Casemiro was shown a red card, reducing United to 10 men.

Chelsea improved after the break and Chalobah’s 80th-minute strike almost inspired a comeback from the visitors.

Ferdinand suggested this was the result of Amorim’s decision to alter his defensive line in the closing stages, bringing on Leny Yoro for Harry Maguire in the 70th minute.

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Trevoh Chalobah’s 80th-minute strike almost inspired a Chelsea comeback at Old Trafford

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Ruben Amorim has made at least one centre-back substitution in five of Man United’s six matches across all competitions this season – the only exception in the 3-2 win over Burnley

Amorim has made at least one centre-back substitution in five of United’s six matches across all competitions this season. The only exception came in last month’s 3-2 win over Burnley – though even then, Noussair Mazraoui came on for Yoro late on, effectively operating as a third central defender before Bruno Fernandes’ late winner.

‘I look at teams that win,’ Ferdinand said. ‘Whether it’s my team, whether it’s the old Arsenal teams with Tony Adams, Martin Keown or Sol Campbell etcetera.

‘Or John Terry and (Ricardo) Carvalho, William Gallas. Now (Virgil) van Dijk and (Ibrahima) Konate. The same centre-halves play every week. There’s a consistency with team selection with that pairing at the back.

‘Paris Saint-Germain: same two centre-backs all the way through. Champions League, bang, (they) win the trophy.

‘The consistency of players in that area of the pitch gives you a better chance to win and this (Ruben Amorim’s) chopping and changing, I find it wild. I wouldn’t like it if I played.’

Maguire, one of the club’s more capable players at set pieces in both attack and defence, was off the pitch by the time Chalobah struck – though some may wonder if his presence might have prevented the goal.

Maguire’s substitution was all the more puzzling given he had been performing well up to that point. The England defender had even provided the assist for Casemiro’s goal, making his presence felt in the Chelsea box.

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Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand criticised Amorim’s ‘chopping and changing’ of his back line during games, adding that he ‘wouldn’t like it if I played’

When asked about the difficulties for a centre-half coming on mid-game, Ferdinand explained: ‘Picking up the pace of the game. The rhythm of the game.

‘Your first one, two or three sprints, you’re hanging onto things. Your lungs are on the floor, red raw.

‘Getting into a game is difficult, and they’re just getting into that speed of the game and the rhythm of it is hard.’

After being dropped in favour of a centre-back trio made up of Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Luke Shaw, Maguire has impressed in parts this season. Yet the £80million man can’t seem to escape the spotlight, even when he’s not on the field.