• Premier League

Rooney in line for West Ham return

ESPN staff
January 15, 2013
Wayne Rooney could face West Ham on Wednesday © Getty Images
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Sir Alex Ferguson has said that Wayne Rooney will make his Manchester United comeback in Wednesday's FA Cup replay against West Ham.

Rooney has not played since facing Swansea on December 23 after sustaining a knee injury in training, but the 27-year-old is set to feature against the Hammers, when a fourth-round tie against either Fulham or Blackpool is the prize for the winners.

Nani, who has been out since November with a hamstring injury, is also set to return to first-team duty, and Ferguson said that injuries to Nemanja Vidic and Ashley Young, who were both substituted in Sunday's 2-1 victory over Liverpool, are not as bad as feared.

Vidic, who returned in December after three months on the sidelines with a recurrence of his knee problem, was substituted after scoring what proved the winner but Ferguson told MUTV: "Actually, Vida's knee is okay. He had a little bit of concussion but he's okay and fine. He trained yesterday [Monday] and was good."

Young was seen leaving Old Trafford on crutches but, while he will miss the West Ham game and could sit out Sunday's trip to Tottenham, he is expected to return for the fourth-round tie, should United progress.

Ferguson added: "There are no other serious knocks really. I think they're all pretty good. Obviously, Young has got a dull knock, a little bit of a strain on the knee, but it's nothing serious. I think he'll be back next week. Maybe not for Tottenham but, the week after, he should be okay."

Ferguson is expected to make several changes for the West Ham game, with Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Antonio Valencia, Anderson, Ryan Giggs and Javier Hernandez all in contention to start.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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