Hargreaves, O´Shea set for United squad return

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said Friday midfielder Owen Hargreaves and defender John O’Shea could be back in the squad for the visit of Chelsea this weekend.

England midfielder Hargreaves has not played a first-team game since September 2008 after undergoing surgery to both knees, while Republic of Ireland international O’Shea has been out with a leg injury since November.

“John O’Shea and Owen Hargreaves have trained very well with the first team,” Ferguson said.

“They are not far away and I may use one of them as substitute on Saturday and the other on Wednesday.

“John O’Shea in particular has done a lot of work. The boy has come on terrifically well in the last two or three weeks.

“If I include one on Saturday and one on Wednesday it will give them the confidence that they are back. That is what they need.”

Striker Wayne Rooney, who suffered ankle ligament damage playing against Bayern Munich in midweek, is set to return to action within two to three weeks after suffering ankle ligament damage.