Rio Ferdinand has admitted he is lost in admiration for United team-mate Ryan Giggs.

After his outstanding contribution to Saturday’s 2-1 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford, Giggs knows his next United appearance will be his 900th.

It is an amazing effort from the 38-year-old, who has just been rewarded with a one-year contract extension that will take his stellar career into a staggering 22nd season.

And the most surprising thing is that Giggs remains one of the fittest players at United.

Although there was a point in his career when it seemed he would be badly affected by hamstring problems, the veteran Welshman found the solution with regular yoga sessions.

The weekend saw his 23rd appearance of the season, which keeps him in the top 10 for the Red Devils in this injury-hit campaign.

And, while it is highly plausible Giggs will not play a significant role in the two-legged Europa League clash with Ajax, by the time United resume their Premier League title quest at Norwich on February 26 he is certain to be a major influence once more.

“He has been blessed with a tremendous physique,” said Ferdinand.

“He is not carrying any weight, he’s not had any serious injuries and he manages himself really well.

“To have that many appearances at one club is phenomenal. Words can’t describe how great that is.”

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And, as Ferdinand acknowledges, Giggs is still capable of those inspired moments that have pockmarked his career and ensure he remains one of the most influential players at the club.

“There is no reduction in his talent,” said the England defender.

“He is still one of the better players in training.

“In the games he’s one of the best too. He can play on both sides of the pitch and in midfield.

“That tells you he is not getting in because of who he is or what he’s done – he’s getting in the team on merit.”

It is a measure of Ferdinand’s own longevity that he has been a team-mate of Giggs for almost a decade now.

However, it is presumably a source of amusement in the Reds dressing room that the former West Ham skipper used to have a video of Giggs when he was at school.

“I had videos of Giggs versus John Barnes and George Best versus Diego Maradona,” said Ferdinand.

“I used to watch them all the time.

“I particularly remember Giggsy scoring a goal against QPR where he danced past a couple of defenders and smashed it in.

“And then there was that curly hair.

“He is a great player. When he first came into the Premier League he was like a breath of fresh air.

“To watch him continue where he started as a youngster is fantastic.” Tweet