Sir Alex Ferguson looking forward to having a fit Rio Ferdinand
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he is looking forward to having a fully fit Rio Ferdinand.
The Manchester United star has been plagued by injuries over the last two seasons. He missed the start of this Premier League season after picking up a knee injury before the World Cup.
Ferdinand made his first United appearance of the season during the 0-0 Champions League draw with Rangers. He also started the League Cup win against Scunthorpe United and Ferguson admited it's a luxury
to be able to pick him.
"Rio is much fitter now.
He has had plenty of training, a couple of reserve games and matches against Rangers and Scunthorpe.
He was out for five months so he still probably needs another game or so. That's why I didn't risk him on Sunday against Bolton.
I felt that would be a physical challenge," said Ferguson.
The United defence has looked fragile over the last two weeks and Ferdinand will bring a lot of positives to the table. The club has to keep a close eye on the former skipper to make sure no signs of injury
reappear.
A lot of positives
Ferdinand is one of the most experienced players in the football club. He's made 221 appearances for the club. This means he is able to bring a calm and assurance to the United defence when the side is
under severe pressure.
He is not a small defender. Ferdinand is tall, strong and powerful. This makes him difficult to get past in the United defence. This is also useful when United is playing against strong attacking teams
such as Chelsea that have big strikers.
Ferdinand also carries an extra edge with his aerial game. This is important in defence when an opposition team wants to play the long ball. It also allows him to attack for United at corners and other
set pieces.
A close eye
The club has to keep a very close eye on Ferdinand to make sure that there is no chance of the same injuries reappearing. Ferguson is the most experienced manager in the English
game and he'll know how to handle this situation perfectly.
The problem is that Ferdinand is so good that it will be tempting for the club to throw him into a game prematurely. This will place strain across the knee joint when the manager
may not feel he is fully ready for intense competition.
"We decided to stick with Nemanja Vidic and Jonny Evans, who have done very well for us. I have no complaints about their performance
levels. But the important thing is he is coming back and we look forward to having him back," added the Scot, Ferguson.
Betting advice
Ferdinand makes United a much harder team to break down and score against. His presence lifts the rest of the defence and inspires every single player to put in more effort.
Ferdinand is also a great outside bet to score in any game. He's only scored six times in his United career, which will justify the long odds. However, he goes up in attack for
every corner and free kick the side wins in dangerous positions. He only has to score once to make an outside bet justifiable.
United is still fighting on all fronts and still has a great chance of winning every trophy this season. There is plenty of time for things to change in the Premier League while
the club has enough experience to win either of the domestic cups or the Champions League.
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