Defender boost for United

Man United’s full-back Rafael could take a step towards a return to the first team this week.

Rafael has been out since August, when he had surgery on a shoulder injury.

Ferguson said: “Rafael has been training for over a week. It was a big operation on his shoulder and we hope we can maybe fit a game in for him – maybe the next reserve game.

“He’s coming along fine, there has been no setback and he has been training every day.”