After Manchester United’s thrilling 4-3 Champions League away loss to Copenhagen on Wednesday night, Rio Ferdinand has criticized the team for lacking guts and leadership.

With Rasmus Hojlund scoring twice in the first half-hour of the game on his return to his old haunt, the Red Devils appeared to be heading for an easy victory in the Danish capital.

However, Marcus Rashford was controversially awarded a red card just before halftime, and Copenhagen scored two goals in stoppage time.

Bruno Fernandes’ penalty kick in the 69th minute gave United the lead again, but Lukas Lerager’s close-range goal and teenager Roony Bardghji’s final-minute goal gave Copenhagen another chance to rally.

As a result, United is now at the bottom of Group A and will probably need to win both at home against Bayern Munich and away against Galatasaray in order to advance to the knockout stages.

Ferdinand, who was at the Emirates to witness Arsenal handily defeat Sevilla, had one eye on the United match and expressed shock at how quickly his former team gave up.

“Back again into crisis mode, I think that’s the way it is, it’s a rollercoaster at Man United now,” he remarked in response to a question regarding the outcome on TNT Sports.

“I think there’s no consistency, I was watching that game and I was screaming, 2-0 up, Rasmus Hojlund, ‘Wow, found a hero’. And then all of a sudden the wheels just fall off, they capitulate.

That just signals to me a lack of character at the moment. There’s not enough characters in there to pull the team through when they’re in a situation where there’s a bit of adversity, or they’re under a bit of duress.”

“They haven’t got those leaders and characters to get them through – or they haven’t got enough leaders and characters to pull them through in those moments. And that’s what you need,” Ferdinand add.

“It doesn’t come down to ability in those situations. Away at Copenhagen, I’ve been there, we got beat 1-0 when I was there. But this is far too often we’re seeing this happen.”