Rio Ferdinand has questioned Manchester United captain Harry Maguire in the wake of Arsenal's 1-0 victory at Old Trafford. 

Maguire's ability has been called into question this year following a string of high profile mistakes including the recent dismissal against Denmark while on international duty with the Three Lions. 

The 27-year-old has shown improvements since returning to club football but now his leadership credentials are coming under fire from Ferdinand. 

United went into the weekend clash against the Gunners on the back of an emphatic 5-0 home win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League, and Maguire hinted that a lingering sense of complacency may have contributed to the lacklustre display which followed. 

While speaking to Sky Sports (via Daily Mail), the former Leicester City star had this to say on the back of the 1-0 Premier League defeat. 

"Maybe we were patting each other on the back, which shouldn't happen.

"I keep saying that you have to stay level headed."

Putting the defeat down to complacency alone certainly does Arsenal a disservice. 

Mikel Arteta's side were well organised, fluid in transition and thoroughly deserving of three points. 

Arteta

However, Maguire's suggestion that the mentality wasn't right will be a concern for everybody involved with the club, and Ferdinand has tasked the club captain of resolving the issue himself via his Rio Ferdinand Presents Five YouTube channel.

"I saw Maguire saying they we're patting each other on the back too much. Get a hold of that team - he's the captain.

"I hope he's getting in there and telling people 'listen, we aren't the finished article, we've got loads to do, pull your socks up.

"I don't know if that's going on. The captain of Man Utd. There's always been leaders in that dressing room pulling people aside to make sure they stay on their game."

The message from the United legend is unequivocal: Maguire is the captain, so it's his job to stamp out any complacency in the dressing room. 

Maguire

Along with the likes of Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, Ferdinand was one of a number of dressing room leaders during his time under Sir Alex Ferguson.

The leadership potential in the current squad, by comparison, is a far cry from what it once was.

Ultimately it is down to Maguire to drive change within the squad, but United will need several figures to emerge as leaders if the club are to re-establish themselves at the summit of European football.