RIO FERDINAND believes that Manchester United need to 'humble themselves' and copy Liverpool's blueprint for success.

The Red Devils are currently miles behind their Anfield rivals in the race for silverware.

Liverpool are 13 points clear of United in the Premier League table with a game in hand, and also picked up the League Cup on Sunday.

Ferdinand, 43, believes that to close the gap, his old side need to give Ralf Rangnick's successor two years to implement his ideas – while accepting that they won't immediately be onto a winner.

He said on his Vibe with Five show: "The problem I have is that Ralf has come in but then you're going to have to change it again for someone else's style of football.

"It's then going to be another upheaval, new style to implement and players understanding that.

"I think personally United have got to write off the next year or two in terms of trophies, minimum – say 'we're going to rebuild what we have, get our recruitment right and there is a certain style of play under this new manager that we are going to go with and he is going to have time to get it all right.

"There is going to be mistakes, a few things that go wrong but we are going to stick with this guy and give him a minimum of two years to work it out' and see the progress and that development happen.

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"It's going to take that long, and you can't have that transition and win. It doesn't happen. Liverpool didn't do it. How long did it take Klopp to win? You have to take a leaf out of other team's books.

"Sometimes you've got to humble yourself and take stock and say in reality, that is where we are at."

Ferdinand's comments came on the back of United's demoralising 0-0 draw with strugglers Watford at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Red Devils are currently fourth in the table, although could be overtaken by both Arsenal and Tottenham who have games in hand.

The summer acquisitions of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo led Ferdinand to believe that United could be a force again this season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But the Norwegian's Old Trafford demise has made him take stock.

But reality has to come and bite and you've got to sit back and say where are we really at?

He added: "The hype of those signings hyped me up, hyped all the United fanbase up.

"But reality has to come and bite and you've got to sit back and say where are we really at?

"United aren't in a place to win and challenge for trophies, that's it – the big trophies, Champions League and Premier League.

"I just feel that sometimes you have to accept where you are. Man United have lived off past successes for too long. This isn't the Man United of 12-15 years ago.

"Man United historically should be challenging but where they are now, no."

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