Manchester United mnager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Rio Ferdinand will play his first game of the season on Tuesday night when Rangers make the trip to Old Trafford in the Champions League (United 4/6 – To Win To Nil).
The England defender has been sidelined so far this term by the knee injury he suffered during the Three Lions’ first training session at the World Cup finals in South Africa in the summer.
Ferdinand was fit for the Everton game in the Premier League at the weekend but Ferguson held him back after last week deciding not to make the 31-year-old available for the reserves because he had seen enough in training.
Ferdinand is likely to partner Nemanja Vidic at the back as the Red Devils look to lay down a marker against Ferguson’s former club (United 1/6, draw 11/2, Gers 18/1 – 90 minutes).
“I think Rio will play on Tuesday night,” Ferguson said. “It’s a European tie at home and we’ve got to take advantage of that.”
All eyes will be on Ferguson’s decision over star striker Wayne Rooney who the Scot decided to spare a cauldron of hate at Goodison Park on Saturday following revelations over his private life.
But back on home soil, it seems a no-brainer that the Scouser will come back into the side for the Gers clash.
Rooney trained as normal with United on Monday morning amid tabloid speculation claiming Ferguson had read the riot act to the 24-year-old hitman
The United chief will demand a response from his side after they blew a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 late on at Everton. Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill did the damage with goals in stoppage time to leave Ferguson unhappy.
He said: “You have to have determination in situations like that.
“We were so wasteful with our chances. We could have scored five or six in the second half with great opportunities and that has come to haunt us.
“But saying that, to lose two goals in injury time is unthinkable.
“We had it under control and the game is finished – even when they scored a second. It is a terrible end for us.”
Rangers head south without striker Nikica Jelavic who is ineligible after former club Rapid Vienna made it through to the Europa League.
Scotland ace Kenny Miller admits it will be a tough game for Walter Smith’s men (Miller 16/1 – First Goalscorer).
He told the BBC: “If you ask the manager or any of our coaches, they’ll tell you they’re not happy with our level of performances so far in the first three of four games of the season.
“You have to work your socks off for the 90 or 95 minutes and there’s no doubt you have to carry a bit of luck along the way as well.
“You can defend as good as you want for the majority of the game, but they’re always going to create a chance in the match given the standard of player they have.
“It’s a level that everyone in the dressing room wants to be playing at and it doesn’t come any bigger than playing Man United at Old Trafford.
“There’s no doubt it’ll be a really tough game, but we know that, if we can go out and play our game, we’ll have a chance of getting a result.”
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Tottenham Hotspur (3/1 to finish in the top four) boss Harry Redknapp believes that Real Madrid and Barcelona will be the sides to beat in this season’s Champions League.
Frank Lampard has poured cold water on claims that Chelsea are too old to win the Champions League (Chelsea 11/2 outright).
Nikica Jelavic believes that Rangers can secure a shock win over Manchester United when the two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday evening (United 1/6, draw 11/2, Rangers 18/1 ).
Roy Hodgson believes Liverpool (22/1 to win Premier League) may need new owners before they can challenge for the Premier League title.
Former Wrexham and Swansea manager Brian Flynn is in line to be named as caretaker manager of Wales (Wales 20/1 to qualify for Euro 2012).
Unlucky Tottenham ace Jermain Defoe is facing the prospect of missing his club’s entire Champions League group-stage campaign after undergoing ankle surgery (Spurs 10/3 – Group A Winners).
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has refused to discuss Wayne Rooney’s personal life in the wake of tabloid allegations ahead of Saturday’s trip to Everton, the striker’s former club (Rooney 21/5 – Enhanced First Goalscorer).
Arsenal will be able to call upon the fit again Samir Nasri when Bolton arrive at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday but boss Arsene Wenger still has an injury headache to deal with (Arsenal 2/9, draw 9/2, Bolton 11/1).
Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that Manchester City (8/1 to win the Premier League) could win the title if they can manage themselves in the right way.