Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has revealed that he and his teammates are "chomping at the bit" to win back the Premier League title.
The Red Devils relinquished their hold on the league trophy in dramatic fashion when local rivals Manchester City clinched the elusive title in the final seconds of last season, courtesy of an injury-time goal from Sergio Aguero.
"It's nice to be back," said Ferdinand. "When you see the fixtures, you can start planning the season.
"You start working things out in your head. We are chomping at the bit to get back into it, then the games start coming thick and fast. The way the season ended, the sooner we get back into it, the better."
Meanwhile, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that captain Nemanja Vidic and fellow defender Chris Smalling will be fit for the new campaign.