Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believes that new manager David Moyes will be shrewd enough to keep the champions playing the same way as they did under Sir Alex Ferguson.

The former Everton boss took over from Ferguson earlier this summer, and Ferdinand feels that Moyes will be smart enough to maintain the same playing style that helped the club land the Premier League title last season.

"The new manager is going to try to implement parts of his style into our team but he's not silly," the Daily Mail quotes him as saying. "He knows he's coming into a championship-winning team.

"If there's anything we can pass on to help him become a better manager and to help us win more trophies, that's fantastic. You've got to give the manager time and, hopefully, he is at a club where he will get that.

"I think the manager is fortunate he's got someone like Giggsy (Ryan Giggs) among others like myself and Carras (Michael Carrick), who know the fabric of the club."

United begin their title defence away to Swansea City on August 17.