Humiliating exit will drive Manchester United on, says Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand has said Manchester United must accept the ridicule that will accompany their demotion into the Europa League, and ensure that their humiliating Champions League exit has a galvanising effect on the defence of their Premier League title.

United veered from Champions League runners-up in May into European football's second tier for the first time on Wednesday night when beaten 2-1 in Basel, a defeat that prompted criticism of the team's younger players by former captain Roy Keane, a staunch defence from Sir Alex Ferguson and claims of a lack of professionalism throughout the campaign from Patrice Evra.

Ferdinand contradicted the assessment that complacency was to blame for United's third group stage exit in 17 seasons, a view aired by Ferguson and Evra, with the manager restricting his criticism to the second-half performance at home to Basel. But he admitted the Premier League champions must now be prepared for the derision that will follow them into the Europa League and respond by seeking to lift the trophy in Bucharest next May.     Full Read