• Premier League

Hargreaves confident after reserves run out

Owen Hargreaves has not given up on the World Cup © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Hargreaves rejoins United's first-team training
  

Owen Hargreaves insists he can rediscover his best form after he ended an 18-month injury nightmare on Thursday night, making a 45-minute appearance in the Red Devils reserve side's victory over Burnley at Altrincham's Moss Lane.

It is the first step in what could be an extended battle to regain his place, both at Old Trafford and also in the England team. Even the World Cup has not been entirely ruled out as the 29-year-old inches further forward in his recovery programme.

But Hargreaves' ultimate aim is to rediscover the form that made him England's player of the 2006 World Cup and persuaded Sir Alex Ferguson to invest £18 million on him 12 months later.

"I had better get there,'' said the former Bayern Munich star. "I am not coming back to just be one of the guys and to fill a spot. I have never been that way and, if that was the case, then I would rather walk away. I am coming back to have an impact and hopefully I can do it this season.''

Hargreaves arrived from Bayern Munich with the tendinitis problem but completed around half United's games during that first season, including that famous Champions League final win over Chelsea in the Luzhniki Stadium.

Little did he know he was making the injury much worse.

"Not everybody's right and people make mistakes. That's part of life,'' he said. "Ideally they don't involve you. When they do, you aren't too happy about it. In the end I missed two full seasons for Man United. I came here with high expectations for myself, and from the club's side of it, and the fans. To not to be able to play from 27 to 29 is incredibly disappointing.''

With time running out, it seems unlikely Hargreaves could mount a serious bid to play in this summer's World Cup. Yet he has not entirely ruled the prospect out, even if, realistically, he would have to be pushing for a first-team recall within a couple of weeks.

"Well it's there,'' he said of the target. "How it will materialise I don't know. I would love to have the opportunity to play again but I will have to see how I progress and just take it day by day. If I'm there, I'm there and I would love to help. If I'm not, I'm not.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.