Home UEFA Champions League Rio Ferdinand set for Manchester United comeback

Rio Ferdinand set for Manchester United comeback

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The 35-year-old has only played once in the Premier League since September but is in line to face Fulham on Sunday after injuries to Jonny Evans and Phil Jones

David Moyes insists he has NOT frozen Rio Ferdinand out at Manchester United.

Ferdinand started the champions’ first seven Premier League games under Moyes but has since found himself marginalised at Old Trafford.

The former England defender, 35, has made just one Premier League appearance since the end of September, as Moyes has put his faith in younger defenders Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans – as well as skipper Nemanja Vidic.

But after seeing Evans go off injured and Jones suffer concussion in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Stoke, the spotlight will be on Moyes’ decision for the weekend.

United host bottom-club Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, in desperate need of a win to revive their flagging hopes of a top-four finish that would ensure they do not miss out on Champions League football for the first time in 19 years.

Vidic is available again after serving a three-match ban following his straight red card at Chelsea, but Moyes must decide whether to draft in Ferdinand, or put his faith in Smalling.

Moyes insists Ferdinand does still have a part to play: “Rio is back training. He’s back and we will continue to use Rio at the right times and the right moments.

“Rio has made a great contribution, especially in the first half of the season. I played him in nearly all the opening eight to 10 games. He was a big part in helping me to settle. He has competition at centre-half but he is very much valued and looked at as one of the senior players.”

Ferdinand suffered a knee injury in United’s FA Cup third-round loss to Swansea on January 5 but has now recovered.

Despite Moyes claiming the former West Ham and Leeds star is in his plans, the veteran centre-back is almost certain to leave Old Trafford this summer after 12 years.

Ferdinand is in line to be out of contract at the end of this season and has been offered the chance to finish his playing career across the Atlantic in major League Soccer.

Los Angeles Galaxy are understood to be among the teams chasing Ferdinand, who has made 445 appearances for United since joining from Leeds for ÂŁ29.1million in 2002.

Written by Steve Milne

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