Former Manchester United defender disagrees with Rio Ferdinand's criticism of Ralf Rangnick

Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has claimed Ralf Rangnick won't have realised the size of the task he was taking on when he agreed to become the club’s interim boss.

United seem destined to miss out on Champions League qualification after a disastrous season. Ole Gunnar Solsakjaer was sacked in November and now Rangnick looks set to miss the mark in his requirement to earn a top-four finish.

United legend Rio Ferdinand recently said the German has made the club worse during his tenure. Defending the 63-year-old, Silvestre suggested that the situation Rangnick found himself in was a lot gloomier than he anticipated.

READ MORE:How Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick's records at Man United this season compare

He told Genting Casino : “When you bring in a manager in the middle of the season he has no time, no pre-season and none of the players that are there are his players. He has a limited amount of time coming in as the interim manager.

“I think the task was gigantic and I don’t think that Ralf imagined the size of the task. I don’t think he would have thought that he was going to inherit a broken dressing room.

“After a few months in charge he is talking about open heart surgery. What we’re seeing on the pitch, the results, in the dressing room is nowhere near what it used to be and you have to go back to the foundations. “

Rangnick is set to become a part of the Old Trafford hierarchy when his tenure ends. He will take up a development role, although it’s still unclear in what capacity.

Silvestre suggested that Rangnick's temporary status as the club's manager could lead to players taking their eye off the ball. He added: “We are in April, but I think it would have been difficult for him to