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No easy ride or Man Utd stars

Manchester - Manchester United's established stars will not be guaranteed a free ride into the first team under new manager David Moyes next season, according to centre-back Rio Ferdinand.

The 34-year-old says anything they have previously achieved will count for nothing once the current Everton manager takes over from Alex Ferguson.

Speaking to MUTV, Ferdinand said: "We've got to prove ourselves to the new manager. He's going to come in with new ideas, new rules, a new regime.

"No matter how long you've been here, whether it's the likes of Giggsy (Ryan Giggs) or myself, we're going to be in the same boat as people like Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones, Tom Cleverley.

"We have got to make sure he feels we're the right people to start each game."

Ferguson's 26-year reign will come to an end away to West Brom on Sunday with Moyes due to take over in June.

If Ferguson's retirement came as a shock to the wider footballing world, it was even more stunning to the players themselves.

"He broke the news to us and the thing I remember most is that it was dead quiet in the room, a mad silence," said Ferdinand, who was speaking at the club's end-of-season awards ceremony, an evening which saw Robin van Persie lift the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award.

"It was just a combination of disappointment and respect for the manager's decision, and for what he's done for us as individuals and as a team."

But ending with a title success was the ideal way for Ferguson to bow out, said Ferdinand, particularly given Manchester City's trophy success the previous year.

"(Winning the title) is the way the manager would have liked to leave the club in his dreams, not looking up at other teams but saying 'come and catch us'," added the former England international.

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