Rio Ferdinand has had a solid start to the new season, featuring in pretty much every big game, with his injury worries seemingly not an issue. The Manchester United defender is keen to continue the good start, both on a personal front as well as the team front as United look to win back some silverware after an unusually barren year last season.
"I just want to keep playing to a high standard and play as many games as I can," the veteran defender told Inside United. "Last season I managed to get 30-odd games under my belt and if I do that again I'll see that as a successful season personally.
"But most importantly it's about the team and we need to make sure we finish the season with some trophies. Last season was only my second season here of not winning anything and I don't want to experience that again. We want trophies in the cabinet this year -- that's our aim."
United have always been known for playing in an attacking style under Sir Alex Ferguson, but this year has seen the forward play go up a notch or two, with new signings Robin Van Persie and Shinji Kagawa combining brilliantly with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Antonio Valencia.
Ferdinand believes Ferguson has one of the strongest squads in recent memory. "I think the manager now has the most options he's had since I've been here," he said. "There are almost two players for each position. It's fantastic and great to be a part of it."
United have always been the masters of comeback victories, with this season seeing the English Premier League leaders score come-from-behind wins on several occasions. While Ferdinand admits conceding early goals is a concern, he hailed the team spirit of the team in finding ways to take all three points from seemingly impossible situations.
"It shows the character in the squad when we've gone behind and still found a way back into a game," he added. "But the more times you go behind, at some point you're going to get beaten and that's happened a couple of times already this season and we need to make sure we steer clear of that from now on."
The 34-year-old believes it is not much of a surprise that the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City are the clubs that are right up there with United at the top of the table, with only three points separating the three teams.
"It's the same old faces up there at the moment but I always think you get a better idea on things when you look at the league table towards the end of December," he said. "After Christmas is the time when some teams fall away or others stretch away and we want to be part of the latter group."
Ferguson, clearly impressed by the form shown by Ferdinand, said the defender can easily continue for another season, but Ferdinand, whose contract with United ends at the end of the season, is just happy to take each day as it comes.
"It's always good to hear the manager say things like that, but you just take every week and every month as it comes," he added. "The best thing to do will be to look at it at Christmas and then again in the summer to see how I'm feeling and go from there. But hearing the manager say things like that definitely puts the spring back in your step."
