Anton: We'll stay up

Anton Ferdinand believes West Ham are ready for anything the Premiership can throw at them,

The 20-year-old defender was a tower of strength during the Hammers' Cardiff triumph against Preston and cannot wait for next season to start.

He has come of age as a centre-back and is looking forward to the challenge of facing Thierry Henry and company.

And he is eagerly awaiting the chance to take on his England international brother Rio, who could not be at the Millennium Stadium yesterday, when West Ham play Manchester United.

Ferdinand said: "It feels good to be a top-flight player and hopefully I can stay there. We are definitely ready for the Premiership. We have got loads of young players and have got the ability to do well.

"It is going to be a hard battle against Rio but it will be a good one and a personal one. I got a text from him straight after the game against Preston. He just said congratulations, that I deserve to be there and that he is happy West Ham are back."

Ferdinand senior was allegedly involved in a bar brawl in Stockholm over the weekend, but Anton kept his focus on promotion. He said: "A lot of the boys were in Cardiff last year and knew the hurt they came away with. The manager has had a lot of criticism as well but he has shown his tactical ability.