Ferdinand - I Would Take A Point At OT

Lunchtime on Easter Sunday may not be the ideal time to go to Manchester United but I’d happily kick-off at midnight just to walk out at Old Trafford.

United are in ruthless form as they go searching for another title but our whole team is buzzing after beating Arsenal and climbing out of the relegation zone.

Even if it’s just on goal difference, psychologically, it’s important that we’re now out of the bottom three.

Although we can’t worry about other teams, United did do us a favour in beating Blackburn on Monday. I watched that game and we should have no fear going to their place. It’s what being a footballer is all about. You know you are playing at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ — they’ve hit the nail on the head because that’s what it is — and we should relish the challenge.

One of the highlights of my career was going there in 2007 with West Ham and beating them to stay in the Premier League. It was fantastic. We defended for our lives — not many people keep a clean sheet there let alone win the game. Results like that show it can be done.

Of course, if someone offered me a point now, I’d take it all day long. We know it’s a difficult place to go but we have shown at Loftus Road that we are tough to beat and we have to take that mentality into the away games now.

When it comes to a relegation battle, it is not about form. It’s about mentality. As long as we keep it tight at the back, there’s no reason why we can’t unlock their defence at the other end, especially with Adel Taarabt finding his best form.

He’s taken a lot of stick this season but his goal and all round performance against Arsenal proved he can cut it in the Premier League.

At the time when we needed him to start showing his best form, he is doing that. He is tracking back and working hard as well as being influential on the ball. He could be one of the reasons why we stay in the Premier League if he can deliver the same level of performance for the rest of the season.

Adel has bags of talent and it’s amazing it took him that long to score his first goal in the top flight. He’s always difficult to face in training and I know he can cause problems for even the most assured of defenders.

As long as we’re both fit, Sunday should see me face my brother Rio again. We talk all the time but in a week leading up to a game against each other, there isn’t much contact at all. That’s normal — we are both professionals and are focused on getting the points for our own team.

We both want each other to do well. I know he wants to see me in the Premier League next year with QPR and I want to see him lifting a trophy.

Lunchtime kick-offs aren’t ideal for a player’s preparation because everything is a bit more rushed. We eat spaghetti bolognese or pasta and chicken about three-and-a-half hours before kick-off but some people can’t because they feel it’s too early for food like that.

It doesn’t bother me — that’s my pre-match meal and I’ll never change it. Regardless, at Old Trafford we must show we have the stomach for the fight.

Follow Anton on Twitter @anton_ferdinand

Anton Ferdinand appears courtesy of New Era Global Sports Management

 

Couldn't of put it better myself Woody.