Sir Alex Ferguson didn't always play good football at Manchester United, says Rio Ferdinand

Former Manchester United captain was more interested in winning than playing nice football

Sir Alex Ferguson upon his retirement (GETTY IMAGES)

Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand has offered a defence to current manager Louis van Gaal and his boring style of football.

The Dutchman has often been criticised for his possession-based tactics that rarely see United carve out chances or score goals, with many fans pining for the days of Sir Alex Ferguson and his attacking football.

United have scored just 19 goals in 13 Premier League matches this season, fewer than any of the other teams in the top seven, and just five in their five Champions League matches.

After the goalless draw against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday, United need to win their final match in Wolfsburg to be sure of progressing to the knockout stages.

But Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League with the club, says that football under Fergie wasn’t always the best - especially in his final couple of seasons.

"When I was a player my main aim was to win a trophy first and win it playing exciting football second, and that seems to be Van Gaal’s too," Ferdinand wrote in his column for The Sun.

"It wasn’t always exciting in my day at Old Trafford, either.

Rio Ferdinand won six Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson (Getty Images)

"Certainly during the final three seasons under Sir Alex it was more a case of us getting over the line than anything cavalier.

"However, there was certainly a lot more ambition and threat in our play than there is currently with United.”

Ferdinand also said that the club and the fans knew what they were getting with the experienced Dutchman, who has improved the team after the disastrous season under David Moyes.

"United knew what they were getting when they employed Louis van Gaal, so there can be no complaints now," he added.

"In many ways, why should there be, given where he has taken the club in 18 months? From seventh place to second and now, despite Wednesday’s goalless draw, they are within reach of the knockout stages of the Champions League.

"Given that the Man United hierarchy looked beyond the man’s CV, they knew they were getting a manager who played a precise, possession-based game.

"It is not a game in the best traditions of Old Trafford. Instead, he was someone who would stabilise the situation and put the club in with a chance of winning trophies again.

"That is what he is doing but, no, it is not very exciting."