Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has recalled a conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson that could help current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Ferdinand and ex-teammate Robin van Persie were speaking after Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates.

Both of them identified that United's forwards were making good runs, but were not being picked out by their teammates.

"We've played together for one season. Robin was top goalscorer in the league at the time and Sir Alex Ferguson walks into a meeting room and we all think he's going to give us a pat on the back and say well done," he told BT Sport.

"He said 'I've bought a player here that is making runs'. He showed us about six or seven clips, he probably had about 30, and he hammered Michael Carrick, Scholes, me and other players that we weren't passing the ball.

"He told us he [Van Persie] was going to win us the league and we need to pass him the ball. One of the most standout moments of that season, Rooney plays the ball 30 yards into him and he volleys into the back of the net against Aston Villa.

"If he hadn't have had that conversation in that office, there's a chance that the goal isn't scored. The manager has put it in the back of your mind to look forward for this player.

"Today, one of the most common factors of the game was that the players in the midfield were not looking forwards because the players were making some good runs and for a forward, that is demoralising."