Source: Telegraph
Sunderland's Anton Ferdinand issues relegation rally call
The former West Ham centre-half spoke out as he set his sights on steering Sunderland away from the relegation zone when he returns to action following injury at Manchester City this Sunday.
"I am not the young kid who came through the ranks and who has a lot of experience around him, which was how it was at West Ham," said the 24-year-old.
"I am someone who was brought to the club to make the club better. That brings pressure and I am sure you will see in my football it is pressure I enjoy.
"That is how we will hopefully all look at this situation. It is not what we wanted or expected, but we have to go out and show what good players we are."
Sunderland are now just three point above the relegation places after picking up just one point from their last three games and after City they travel to West Ham before Premier League pacesetters Manchester United and then Hull head to the Stadium of Light.
Ferdinand, who joined Sunderland from West Ham in an £8-million deal last summer, believes that City, who have accumulated just three points more than the Wearside club, should also have cause for concern about relegation.
"Manchester City are not out of it either," the former England Under-21 international added.
"Their fans are expecting bigger things of their club than ours do at this moment, because of the money they have.
"We have nothing to lose. We have to go out on to that pitch with the confidence we are going to claim three points.
"If we take a point, we will be happy â€' any team going to Manchester City and taking a point would be happy.
"However, every game we go into for the rest of the season we have to think we are going to collect three points."
City beat Sunderland 3-0 in the North-East earlier this season but this time the visitors' hopes of revenge will be boosted by the fact their opponents will overseas in UEFA Cup action against Aalborg in Denmark on Thursday night.
