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Michael Owen and Rio Ferdinand compare two Man Utd stars to former leaders in rare look behind the curtain

Originally posted on HITC | By Adnan Riaz | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 7:54 AM ET

After the international break, Ruben Amorim’s side will return to action with two significant challenges on the horizon.

The first is a trip to the Etihad for the season’s opening Manchester derby against City, scheduled for 14th September.

Six days later, they’ll host Chelsea at Old Trafford, a matchup that rarely disappoints given the clubs’ histories and recent form.

The Red Devils are currently ninth in the Premier League standings, having secured their first win of the season last weekend after an earlier loss and draw.

Owen and Ferdinand point to Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire as current leaders in United squad

Former TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand sat down with ex-United and England teammate Michael Owen for a chat on his YouTube channel.

During their conversation, Owen discussed the current culture at Manchester United and raised questions about who the real ‘leaders’ are in Ruben Amorim’s dressing room.

He said: “Yeah, who’s there at the moment? I mean, I can imagine Harry Maguire would be quite vocal and quite, you know, a leader, but…”

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Ferdinand jumped in during the discussion about Harry Maguire, bringing up Bruno Fernandes alongside him. He said: “Bruno as well. Leads in a… I think he’ll lead in a different way.”

Owen agreed with Ferdinand’s assessment of Fernandes but then shifted focus to highlight a broader issue within the club.

Owen, Ferdinand discuss leadership differences across United eras

Owen pointed out that while Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire may have their leadership qualities, they don’t quite carry the same presence as some of the club’s past figures.

“He does [Bruno], but if you look at your team and the team before that, imagine going into that Manchester United team with [Paul] Ince and Rob [Bryan Robson], Keane [Roy Keane] or whatever, [Brian] McClair and [Steve] Bruce and [Gary] Pallister and [Mark] Hughes.”

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Ferdinand agreed with Owen’s view on the difference in presence between eras. “It’s men. It’s men,” he said.

To which Owen replied: “You’d be petrified going in there.”

The former Real Madrid forward also highlighted that Ferdinand himself had seen a different type of leadership during his time at Old Trafford.

“I mean, the leaders in there. You know, that’s a generation. That’s your Nev [Gary Neville] and your Scholsey [Paul Scholes] and your Giggsy [Ryan Giggs],” Owen continued.

The next big test for Amorim is fast approaching. United head to the Etihad on 14th September to face City in what should be a clear measuring stick for how much progress has been made since his arrival.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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