It is welcome news to Silvestre, who has added his voice to the claims of skipper Roy Keane and chief executive Peter Kenyon that the current squad is better than it has ever been.

United began the defence of their championship crown with a 4-0 demolition of Bolton at the weekend, with teenage sensation Cristiano Ronaldo announcing his Premiership arrival in startling fashion.

But, while Ronaldo and two-goal hero Ryan Giggs gained most of the plaudits for the dismissal of the Trotters, Silvestre and Ferdinand were able to take quiet satisfaction from starting the season with a welcome clean sheet.

“I get on very well with Rio,” said the 26-year-old, who started more matches than any other United player last season.

“Neither of us is better at marking than the other, or better on the ball than the other. We have the same body language on the pitch, we are both responsible for marking and generally we do the same job.

“If any team is to be successful, you need to be strong in central positions, defence, midfield and attack.

“Overall I feel this squad is stronger than it has been in the past. We have signed some good young players who have plenty of quality and we are feeling good at the moment.”

Silvestre had initially been earmarked as a central defender when Sir Alex Ferguson lured him from Inter Milan on a £4.5million deal in 1999.

His early experiences in that role were not successful, but, after eliminating some startling lapses in concentration from his game, Silvestre became an automatic choice at full-back, where his athleticism and physical strength came to the fore.

However, the player has always yearned for a chance to try his luck in the heart of United’s rearguard and eventually got his chance when Ferdinand was ruled out of the key clashes with Liverpool and Arsenal last autumn with a torn thigh muscle.

Silvestre’s partnership with Wes Brown proved to be a successful one and though Ferdinand eventually regained his place during the Christmas programme, the Frenchman had done enough for Ferguson to offer him the job on a permanent basis this summer.

“I prefer playing at centre-half because I have more influence on the team and that is where I hope to play in the future.

“I know it sounds obvious but when you play down the left side, all you see is what is on your right because you have a white line running down the other side.

“In the centre, you can see more of the game and you are more in control of the decisions you make. Also you can push forward at corners and free-kicks, which can help you score a few more goals.”

With two goals in 130 league appearances for the Red Devils, Silvestre can hardly be described as prolific. However, he found the target during United’s Community Shield triumph over Arsenal on August 10 and looks like being a threat at most set piece situations this season.

After making an incredible 54 appearances last term, Silvestre then had his summer holidays interrupted by the Confederations Cup, which he returned home to win with France in June.

Those exertions meant e missed United’s pre-season tour to America, although judging by his early displays so far, he does not appear to be lacking in fitness.

With Ferguson’s defensive resources stretched by injuries to Gary Neville and Wes Brown, who happily looks on course to return from his second cruciate ligament operation a couple of months earlier than scheduled, Silvestre can expect to keep his place for some time yet.

However, the same cannot be said of his international team-mate Fabien Barthez, who did not even make the substitutes’ bench at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Despite Ferguson’s staunch defence of the eccentric keeper on Friday, new signing Tim Howard appears to have been installed as first-choice, placing Barthez’s Old Trafford future in severe jeopardy.

Silvestre though is adamant Barthez will bounce back.

“We have some top goalkeepers at United,” he said. “There are a lot of people battling for one place and they have to fight for it. You can see how they compete in training and I’m sure Fabien won’t let himself down.”

Meanwhile, Brazilian World Cup winner Kleberson could make his first appearance in a United shirt in the humble surrounds of Altrincham’s Moss Lane ground on Wednesday.

Ferguson is keen to get some match practice into his recent £6million signing and that might mean offering him a place in the reserve side which takes on Blackburn this week, a match which has been brought forward 24 hours because of the funeral of tragic striker Jimmy Davis which takes place on Thursday.