Rio: My Team-mates Are Tops

Rio Ferdinand insists he would not swap any of his team-mates after the Reds booked a place in the Champions League final for the second consecutive season.

A sensational display from Sir Alex's men at the Emirates on Tuesday night secured a 4-1 aggregate victory over Arsenal and sealed a final berth in Rome later this month.

Having skippered the Reds to Champions League glory in Moscow last season, Ferdinand is the likely candidate to do so once again in Rome. And he couldn't be happier with the players he'll be leading.

"I wouldn't swap any of our players for anyone," he insisted. "I can look at any team in the world and then look at our lads and I wouldn't swap any of them, simple as that.

"I'm delighted to be with the players I'm with in that dressing room."

While over the moon to be heading to the Italian capital to take on either Chelsea or Barcelona, Ferdinand insists there is much hard work to be done if the Reds are to make history and become the first club to retain the trophy.

"It's alright saying we should have won the trophy more times, but we haven't and we need to change that," declared the defender.

"We'll be forgotten if we don't win it. Of course, we can enjoy getting to the final, but we need to win it to be known as a successful team.

"Collectively we all want to achieve more," he added. "We want to do it for everyone - the manager, ourselves, the staff and the fans. We're all in it together and the main aim is to try and be successful."

Attentions will return to domestic matters this weekend when Sir Alex's men entertain Manchester neighbours City at Old Trafford.

The Reds are just seven points from a securing a hat-trick of league titles, but Ferdinand says United won't be taking anything for granted just yet.

"We'll take each game as it comes because we know we have to keep performing," he said.

"It'll be a tough match against City. They've won their last couple and they'll be feeling they can come and do a job on us. So it's up to us to make sure we win."