Case for the defence: Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand has admitted it could be another five
games before he gets back to his peak. The Manchester United
defender has finally recovered from the knee injury that wrecked
his World Cup, turning in a typically stylish performance in
Tuesday's disappointing goalless draw with Rangers.
Ferdinand is expected to keep his place for Sunday's north-west
derby clash against Liverpool, when he should get the chance to
resume his central defensive partnership with Nemanja Vidic and
find out whether Sir Alex Ferguson views him as the successor to
Gary Neville as captain.
But while the 31-year-old is hoping to speed up the
acclimatisation process, he is wary of how long it will take to
find top form again.
'I don't know how long it will take me to get back to my peak,'
he said.
'I have never been out and doing nothing for this length of
time.
'From what I gather it is normally up to six games before
players see the best of themselves. Fingers crossed I can do it in
two.'
This year will not be remembered with any affection by
Ferdinand.
His appearance against Rangers was only his 14th in a United
shirt so far this year and whilst he did play twice for England at
the end of the season, the freak accident he suffered in a
collision with Emile Heskey on the first day of World Cup training
wrecked his dream of appearing in South Africa.
Not that Ferdinand is spending too long worrying about that. He
said: 'I have got over the frustrations of the injury.
'I am trying to look forward and hoping to play some part in the
games we have coming up.'