Fergie Hails Rio & Nemanja

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson rates Rio Ferdinand as the best defender in the world.

Ferguson said: "Rio has been the best defender in the country if not Europe for a couple of years. His maturity and leadership have been key factors in the team's success.

"He is someone that young players learn from and that more experienced players respect.

"I have not seen a better defensive pairing than him and Nemanja for a long time."