Rio Ferdinand to make comeback in reserves game
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is set to begin working his way back to match fitness when he plays in a game with the reserve team tonight.
The England captain was forced to pull out of the national team’s squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup after he damaged knee ligaments in a collision with striker Emile Heskey in Fabio Capello’s first training session in South Africa.
It was estimated by his club manager Sir Alex Ferguson that Ferdinand would not make a return to action until the end of this month. However, Ferguson revealed last week that he has been boosted by the news that the 31-year-old was back in training and that the club would try to get Ferdinand some game time in a reserve fixture during the international break.
Should the centre-back make it through tonight’s Manchester Senior Cup encounter against Oldham without any problems, he will be in line to make his first-team return for the English Premier League clash away to Everton on September 11. He may also be in contention for United’s first game of their UEFA Champions League campaign against Scottish Premier League giants Rangers and the visit of EPL rivals Liverpool, with both games taking place at Old Trafford.
Though he is set to return to action imminently, his comeback has come a little too late for him to be involved in England’s first two UEFA 2012 European Football Championship qualifying matches against Bulgaria on Friday and Switzerland next Tuesday.
Ferdinand joined United in 2002 from Leeds United in a £33m deal that made him the most expensive British footballer in history as well as the world’s most expensive defender. He has gone on to justify that large outlay due to his strong performances in the middle of a defence which has helped the team pick up four EPL titles, two League Cups and three FA Community Shields as well as triumphs in the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.
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