FERGIE EXPECTS RUUD BACK

Sir Alex Ferguson is expecting Ruud van Nistelrooy back in training later on in the month. However Cristiano Ronaldo was an omission from the list as he will return a week later.

'In most cases (the players involved in the World Cup) have got a three-week holiday,' he told MUTV.

'The ones who will be reporting on July 24 after the knock-out stages are Gary Neville, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Gabriel Heinze, Edwin van der Sar and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Park Ji-Sung will be reporting back on July 18.'

There's also good news about Alan Smith's injury.

'Alan is doing very well and we are very pleased with the progress,' said Ferguson.

'But when he was injured in February we said he wouldn't play for six or seven months so he won't be back until the end of August, or early September.'