Ex-Man Utd star Rio Ferdinand wants Harry Maguire to get a hold of that team.

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand has questioned Harry Maguire's leadership qualities at Man United.

Rio Ferdinand wants Harry Maguire to show he is a real leader at Old Trafford. [Getty]

Former defender Rio Ferdinand has questioned Harry Maguire's leadership qualities following the England international's comments after Manchester United's Premier League defeat to Arsenal.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's United, who sit in 15th spot in the English top-flight, were outplayed and thrashed 1-0 by the Gunners at Old Trafford on Sunday, thanks to a spot-kick from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Red Devils have been below par especially at home where they have failed to secure a league win in four games so far [the first time since 1972-73, a season in which they finished 18th], and after the loss, captain Maguire only said they were complacent against Gunners.

However, Ferdinand says the former Hull and Leicester City centre-back needs to "get a hold of that team" and show that he is a real leader at Old Trafford.

"We're lacking confidence in certain areas. We gained a bit of confidence in midweek but do they get too overconfident?" he said via the Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE YouTube channel.

"I saw Harry Maguire and a couple of his comments after the game saying maybe they were patting each other on the back too much. Get a hold of that team - he's the captain.

"I hope he's getting in there and getting round people and telling people 'listen, we aren't the finished article, we've got loads to do, there is more from us to come, pull your socks up'.

"I don't know if that's going on. The captain of Man Utd. There's always been leaders in that changing room who would be going round and drilling people, either one-to-one or in front of the group. Pulling people aside, having little conversations to get people up, to make sure they stay on their game."

The six-time Premier League champion and Champions League winner with United added: "I remember Nani, I didn't chat to him really, it was two or three words, 'assists and goals' or 'shoot on sight'. Boom, that's it. It doesn't need an essay of words. Sometimes it's short and sharp, punchy little things.

"Are these conversations going on? It isn't just for the management to deal with that, sometimes the players in that dressing room need to stand up and put it on people."

United travel to Turkey next to take on Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League on Wednesday.

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