I was more concerned with tricking a forward than getting a clean sheet at West Ham – Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand (Getty Images)

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Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has admitted that he used to focus more on beating a forward with some trickery than getting a clean sheet during his time at West Ham United.

The two sides are set to clash at Upton Park in a Premier League encounter on Saturday, with three points being important to both clubs for very different reasons.

“When I was a young lad at West Ham, I was more concerned about what piece of skill I’d pulled off against a forward rather than keeping a clean sheet,” Ferdinand told Inside United.

“Not that there were all that many at West Ham in those days, mind you!”

However, the experienced defender maintained that his youthful exuberance had been replaced with maturity.

He said: “But these days, when you’ve come off the pitch with a clean sheet it’s a tremendous feeling. As long as you get a clean sheet, you’re happy. It’s a mentality I’ve grown into over the years.”

The 32-year-old has been plagued by injury in recent years and will miss out on a trip to his former club this weekend.

But he believes that such a fate may not await the youth of today, who benefit from newer technologies and specialist support to prolong their careers.

He said: “Now’s probably a better time to be breaking into the game in terms of prolonging your career for as long as possible.

“There’s so much technology and so many structures in place to ensure you make it to the top, which gives you a better starting point than when I was a kid. The kids now know all about what to put into their bodies – and, just as importantly, what not to put into their bodies – and they’re exposed earlier to the pressures that come with being a professional footballer, which helps them in the long run.

“That said, I had a great time when I was a kid. It was laugh-a-minute stuff, and maybe we were allowed to make more mistakes off the pitch than the young lads today.”