Rio Ferdinand has criticised Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s decision to switch Mason Greenwood's position, labelling the move “baffling”.
The Manchester United forward played as a central striker during the opening day win over Leeds United, scoring one and putting in an all-round impressive display.
Greenwood was handed a spot in his preferred position with Edinson Cavani missing the opening set of games after being handed an extended summer break.
But despite that performance against Leeds, Solskjaer opted to bring in Anthony Martial for the visit to Southampton, shifting the youngster out on the right.
United went on to put in a disjointed display at St Mary’s salvaging a 1-1 draw after Greenwood equalised in the second half.
And Ferdinand was perplexed with Solskjaer’s decision to shuffle his options going forward after their free-flowing showing against Leeds just one week before.
“Mason Greenwood has been arguably our best player since we came back, in one of the pre-season games I saw and the two games in the league,” Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel Vibe with FIVE.
“The guy has just come back stronger, fitter, better. Coming back growing into a man from a boy – so why shift him from centre forward to out wide to bring Anthony Martial in?
“I don’t understand it. He’s a goal-getter, if Cavani’s not fit, put Greenwood as a No.9. I think he’s good enough to do that.
“To play him out wide again… that was the one baffling one for me.”
Solskjaer admitted that he was left reflecting on his switches, although pointed to Martial almost scoring as vindication for his selection.
"Whenever you don't win a game you look at it but I always look at it as much when you win as well," Solskjaer said. "What could we have done differently?
"I thought Nemanja [Matic] was excellent, Antho [Martial] was close to scoring a goal but Jadon and Donny will be important for us."
Greenwood looks set for another huge campaign at Old Trafford, having ended last season in fine goalscoring form.
With Jadon Sancho’s arrival likely to fill the role on the right-hand side of United’s attack, it remains to be seen where Greenwood’s long-term position will be.
The player himself has hinted that his preferred role is through the middle, although he is more than happy to carry out any job asked of him.
“Long-term I want to be in that No.9 role but if I play on the right or in that No.9 role wherever the manager picks me or tells me to play I’ll go out there and do my best,” he told Stadium Astro last season.
“I like it in both areas, there’s no grey areas if I’m on the wing or up front they are basically the same for me I’m going out there playing football with a smile on my face.
“I just want to be the man scoring the goals, any young boy from the academy would say the same thing really, it’s just a role everyone wants to be in."
