TEAM NEWS

Last updated : 04 January 2005 By editor

United expect to have Gary Neville in the squad for tonight's visit of Tottenham. He has recovered from the bout of flu that ruled him out of the Christmas programme and the club are also optimistic that Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit despite injuring a calf in the win at Middlesbrough.

As for Spurs, Jermain Defoe still has a knee injury, Michael Brown's hamstring is a concern, Stephen Kelly and Thimothée Atouba have ligament injuries, Sean Davis is recovering from a knee problem and Simon Davies is also out.

Manchester United (from): Carroll, Howard, G Neville, Heinze, P Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Bellion, Keane, Ronaldo, Scholes, Fletcher, Djemba-Djemba, Miller, Giggs, Smith, Richardson, Eagles.

Rio Ferdinand said:

"It's going to be a difficult game against Spurs but we need to be beating them. The new manager has come in and given them a new lease of life. I know all about Jermain Defoe. He's a very good player and I'm looking forward to playing against him. They’ve also got the likes of Ledley King and Michael Carrick. In fact it seems they have the whole of the old West Ham side. They’re in a rich vein of form and it's up to us to stop them."