Ferdinand: We're still in hunt for title

Rio Ferdinand has rejected suggestions Manchester United are out of the Barclaycard Premiership title race despite being nine points behind leaders Arsenal.

United’s poor recent form, exacerbated by Ferdinand’s absence from a leaky defence because of a ban following a missed drugs test, has seen them slip to third in the table.

But Ferdinand claims Arsenal’s fans should not start celebrating the title even though there are only 11 league games left.

And Ferdinand also clings to the hope that he could play for the champions again this season and for England in Euro 2004.

That would depend on the central defender launching a successful appeal against his eight-month ban.

“The thought I could still play for United and go to Portugal is what made me so driven in training,” said Ferdinand.

“Without that thought I would have found it a lot more difficult.

“The manager told me to treat things as if I had an injury and that is what I have been doing,” Ferdinand told The Sun.

“I am not pre-judging the case and I have no idea what the outcome will be but if I didn’t think there was a chance of success there would be no point appealing in the first place.”

Despite United going out of the Champions League to Porto in midweek Ferdinand is not ready to throw in the towel.

“The season has not gone as we would like but it is not over yet,” he said.

“No-one at United thinks the title is already Arsenal’s. The last time I looked at the table we still had a possible 33 points to play for and that’s a lot.”