Ferdinand makes u-turn on Ighalo after brace

Rio Ferdinand says Odion Ighalo has already proven him wrong over whether or not he’d be a useful addition for Manchester United.

Eyebrows were raised when Ighalo arrived at Old Trafford on loan from Chinese outfit Shanghai Shenhua on transfer deadline day, with many wondering whether the former Watford forward has got what it takes to cut it at a club of United’s stature.

But on Thursday night the Nigerian scored his second and third goals for United on just his second start for the club, with his precise first half finish giving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side a two-goal lead in their FA Cup fifth round tie at Derby County, before he added another in the second period.

Before the game, BT Sport pundit Ferdinand pinpointed Ighalo’s qualities that make him a different proposition to the injured Marcus Rashford and out of form Anthony Martial.

“People and myself included were probably thinking Odion Ighalo, where does he fit into all of this?” said Ferdinand.

“If you have an opportunity to sign a player at the beginning of the January window, he is not the guy you are going to sign.

“But what he does bring is a point.

“A point where they can focus and play into him from the midfield. He offers the pla

“Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial want the ball in behind and not to bring people in.”

“When the ball gets played into him, if Rashford or Martial were there they wouldn’t have made themselves available like that,” he said over footage of his goal.

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“To be there first is great considering the pressure he is under. He’s in the centre of goal and he’s a physical presence. That’s what he adds to this team.”