Rio won't get carried away

Rio Ferdinand conceded that United were short of their best against Lyon on Tuesday evening, but was delighted simply to have sealed a berth in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Cristiano Ronaldo's goal gave the Reds a narrow 2-1 aggregate win over the French champions, and the England international defender admits that each tie will be tricky in the latter stages as the cream of European talent comes together.

"These nights are always tough," Rio told MUTV. "You've got to defend well as a team and then take your chances when they come. We did that, maybe could have finished the game earlier, but we'll take what we're given.

"It's tough every year, there are always good teams. This is the Champions League and we expect tough games, whatever part of the competition we're in. As long as we're in the next round we're happy, and that's what we are."

The Reds now move onto FA Cup duty against Portsmouth in Saturday's next match, but Ferdinand is ignoring the inevitable talk of repeating 1999's Treble.

"We'll take each game as it comes. Today it's the Champions League, Saturday it's the FA Cup and the following game is in the league so it's just each game as it comes.

"Last year we got caught a little bit with injuries and stuff, but we've got a lot of numbers at the moment with great quality, and long may that continue."