United must share scoring burden, says Ferdinand
After taking 140 games to score his first goal for the Red Devils, Ferdinand netted for the second successive home game when he steered home an excellent header in the comfortable 3-0 Barclays Premiership win over West Brom.
Although he will probably never get anywhere near the amazing 19-goal haul Steve Bruce contributed to United's 1990-91 campaign, Ferdinand recognises the need to take the scoring burden off Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took his own tally to 16 with a typical close-range effort.
"If we are going to win anything, we have to share the goals around," said the England defender.
"I have been lucky to get my head onto two quality crosses recently and put them both away, which is good for myself and the team.
"We all have to chip in with a few rather than leave it to the strikers. It was always the case before and we must do it again."
Ferdinand's new-found scoring prowess is part of an overall improvement in his performances over recent weeks.
The 28-year-old's hesitancy was a significant factor in United's stumbling start to the season but confidence is now surging, as it is throughout the club.
Not only did Ferdinand score on Monday, he also helped create the opener for Paul Scholes with a forceful charge up field and a neat lay-off to Park Ji-sung.
It is the type of ball-playing ability that persuaded Alex Ferguson to smash the British transfer record to sign Ferdinand from Leeds in 2002.
And the former West Ham star has revealed his manager has given him the green light to carry on attacking providing he does not mess up.
"If I come out at the right time, the manager says it is okay," said Ferdinand. "But obviously, if I lose the ball, that wouldn't be too clever."
Ferdinand's contribution extended United's recent impressive record to seven wins in their last eight Premiership outings.
This is their best run of the season but one which has failed to see them make any major inroad into Chelsea's massive lead.
With the gap still at nine points heading into the second half of the campaign, many now believe back-to-back titles for Jose Mourinho's men is now a foregone conclusion.
And even Ferdinand admits it is pointless spending too much time waiting for the Stamford Bridge outfit to falter.
"It is getting boring saying it but we have to concentrate on our own form," he said.
Wes Brown's groin injury could force Ferguson into a defensive reshuffle.
With Mikael Silvestre missing with a thigh strain, John O'Shea may be required to fill in at centre-half alongside Ferdinand.
It is an area of the pitch where the United boss has already identified a problem, triggering the £7 million (€10 million) move for tough-tackling Serbian international Nemanja Vidic, which should be completed within the next week.
And, although Ferguson is delighted with his side's progress since the disastrous Champions League exit in Lisbon last month, the Scot is not ruling out making further moves when the transfer window opens next weekend.
"We are looking at some things," revealed the United boss, who has been linked with St Etienne midfielder Didier Zokora. "You never know what will happen."
Ferguson is expected to make changes for the Birmingham trip, with Cristiano Ronaldo virtually certain to start on his return from suspension.
Ryan Giggs will probably make way as Ferguson looks to save the Welshman's legs for what could be more exacting tests against Bolton and Arsenal over the festive period.
Louis Saha, who scored twice on United's last visit to St Andrews, will also be hopeful of a start, as will Alan Smith, who came off the bench to set up van Nistelrooy's match-sealing effort on Monday.
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