Injured Ferdinand targets early return

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand's recovery from a thigh injury is ahead of schedule and he hopes to return to action inside three weeks.

While the center-back will miss England's World Cup qualifier against Croatia on September 9, he is targeting United's match three days later at Premier League leader Tottenham to make his comeback.

The 30-year-old Ferdinand sustained a slight thigh muscle tear during training ahead of the English champions' opener against Birmingham.

"It's improving, I'm a bit ahead of schedule," Ferdinand told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I've been training really hard the last few days. I'm not where I want to be obviously on the pitch, but in a couple of weeks I'll be back on the pitch playing again.

"Hopefully the match after the internationals I will be fit so that's what I'll be aiming for," Ferdinand said. "At the moment I'm concentrating on that."

Without Ferdinand, the Red Devils have started the season by beating Birmingham and Wigan, but lost to newly promoted Burnley.