Rio - Injuries behind me

United star happy to be playing again

Last updated: 14th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Rio - Injuries behind me

Ferdinand: Fit again

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Rio Ferdinand is confident he has got to the bottom of his recent injury problems.

The England captain has been dogged by back problems in recent weeks and at one point it was even suggested his World Cup dreams could be in doubt.

But the Manchester United star now insists that he has pinpointed the issue and it should not be a problem again.

"Hopefully I've now got my finger on the pulse," he told the Mail on Sunday.

"I am confident, I'm doing a lot of training in the rehab room and I do loads of stuff to prevent anything else happening.

"I'm feeling very good. It's just nice to be playing again.

"I am now playing two games in a week, yet in the last couple of months I've not been able to imagine playing once so it's good to be in this position."

Smalling

Ferdinand will start for United on Sunday against Fulham, but he will not get the chance to face a player labelled the 'New Rio Ferdinand' by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Chris Smalling has already signed a deal to join United in the summer, and as part of that deal he will not be able to play at Old Trafford.

But Ferguson is already convinced he is delighted.

"We have been tracking him since the start of the season.

"He actually hasn't played that many games for Fulham but he was someone who stuck out.

"He's a very good passer of the ball, quick, tall and has great potential. He's like a young Rio."