Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has contradicted skipper Gary Neville over Sunderland's performance last weekend.

Neville described Sunderland's tactics as "appalling", but Rio saw things differently, as brother Anton, the Sunderland centre-half, revealed: "He thought we played well as a team and said we showed great character despite what had happened.

"But they got the three points, so he was still happy. If they hadn't got the three points, he probably wouldn't have been saying that to me!"