Reading's Gareth McCleary pushed the ball inside from the left wing, looking for his colleague Jobi McAnuff, who was haring through the middle towards the United goal. Instead, Ferdinand stuck out his sizeable yellow boot instantly to seize possession.
But it was what he did next that demonstrated this is a player back at his best. Immediately identifying that Reading had been caught on their heels by his interception, he exploited the space opening in front of him, striding forward towards the opposition area, that loping gate of his eating up the turf. Under pressure from McCleary, desperately back-pedalling to make amends for his error, Ferdinand passed inside to Wayne Rooney, whose shot spun in off Alex Pearce's trailing leg over Stuart Taylor's shoulder into the net.
If that is what he can offer England - assurance, experience, proper decision making - the United fans made their position immediately clear about his possible reappearance in a white shirt. As he smoothed out of one challenge, a chant rang out form the Stretford End suggesting England duty was not high on the priorities of the regulars here.
Sir Alex Ferguson, too, had hinted in his programme notes at his irritation at the extra demands brought on his players by international call ups. He wrote that managing the fatigue induced by such commitments was his priority over the next ten days.
While United's next opponents Sunderland will have only four or five players involved, he will have an entire squad. In order to alleviate some of the problems, he revealed that private planes had been chartered to bring Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez back from their duty.
"Private planes are going to cost the club an awful lot of money," he wrote in his programme notes. "But it is something we feel we have to do."
Mind, whatever the irritations of an enforced halt in his progress, this match could not have offered a more benign build-up to the pause. With Manchester City losing, United had the chance to stretch their lead over their city rivals. Moreover, their opponents – in danger of being cast adrift at the bottom of the table - arrived with their morale undermined by the defenestrating of a popular manager, who has not yet been replaced.
The visiting fans may have still insisted that they were still "Brian McDermott's barmy army", but the man standing in the Reading technical area was Eamonn Dolan, the former Exeter manager, promoted from his position as the academy director at the Madejski. Soaked by the constant rain, Dolan did not leave the touchline all match, endlessly cajoling his side, seeking the effort that might produce a miracle.
A keenness to live every ball, though, was not enough for his predecessor. And it was not enough for Dolan. The problem McDermott identified with his former team has not been solved by his dismissal.
Reading still lack a Premier League standard marksman to convert their perspiration into points. Dolan had them working in Stakhanovite fashion here, chasing and harrying, snapping into the tackle, particularly the one from McCleary that had Young spinning in the air in the 70th minute, and probably out of the England squad.
Hal Robson Kanu summed up their endeavour, dashing across the midfield, constantly trying to unsettle United's backline. He had the visitors' best chance, a shot from outside the area which fizzed only a couple of inches wide of David De Gea's goal at the end of the first half.
But United, with Giggs and Welbeck enjoying the spaces provided by limited opponents, only looked occasionally challenged. A pity that Robin Van Persie was not able to find the forward thrust he had provided earlier in the season.
This is the second year in which he has enjoyed an injury-free run through the Premier League. And the lack of injury-enforced lay-offs is clearly causing a degree of fatigue. Though he never stopped running, an acrobatic bicycle kick late in the game notwithstanding, he looked for much of the game a man in need of a rest.
Not that he will be getting one, heading off straight after the final whistle to report to the Dutch squad. Such is the requirement of the modern game. But how refreshing for United's manager that, as his players turn out for others over the next ten days, they will do so after establishing such a commanding lead.
More Info: [Live Football] Sheffield United - Brentford - English League One
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