FULL UNITED ROUND UP

Rio Ferdinand will miss at least five more matches as he waits for an appeal date to contest his eight-month ban.

Ferdinand's legal team submitted a 125-page document contesting the penalty to the Football Association. The FA took the full 21 days to reply to the appeal, and it looks like an official hearing will not be staged until March at the earliest.

Ferdinand opted to start his ban on 20 January as scheduled, even though he could have carried on playing pending the outcome of his challenge to the punishment imposed in September.

If an appeal is held in the first week of March, Ferdinand would miss Premiership games against Middlesbrough, Leeds and Fulham, plus Saturday's FA Cup tie with Manchester City. He would also miss the first leg of the Champions League knock-out phase encounter with Porto in Portugal on 25 February.

Mike Phelan says Manchester United have not been been surprised by the ease in which Louis Saha has settled into his new life at Old Trafford:

"Louis has started very well but it is not as if we have brought in a player from overseas,'' he said.

"We have brought in a Premiership player who has played regularly at his last club and understands the demands of the league.

"What he doesn't know about is the weight of playing for Manchester United but so far he has been carrying it very well.

"The goals he has scored have been terrific and possibly he could have had a few more. He has certainly done the damage we wanted him to do.”

Phelan on the defence:

“We will sort that out on the training ground. I am sure the players will put into practice some better defending.”

Fergie on United signing players following recent rumours:

“There’s no possibility the choice would not be mine. I identify the player I want. I speak with the chairman or board to consult them.

“Sometimes I call the manager of the player I want or the chairman of the club he belongs to. But the contracts, wages and all that is left in the hands of the board.”

Beckham:

“I’m a Man United fan. Always have been and always will be. But now I’ve moved on to a club which is one of the biggest, if not the biggest club, in the world with great players and I’m enjoying my time here.

“I’d love to go back there as a Real Madrid player because I think the two clubs are so special. To be involved in a game like that would be a dream.”