English FA Cup Fifth round replays: Alex Ferguson has indicated he will again leave out Gary Neville when he names his side for tonight's game at Reading, this time as part of his policy to rest the club's thirtysomethings in the FA Cup.
Reading v Manchester Utd Madejski Stadium, 8.0 On TV: BBC1
Neville was omitted from Saturday's victory over Fulham, reportedly after a row with Ferguson, but his absence tonight can be put down to more innocent reasons, with Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Henrik Larsson also expected to be given the night off.
Instead, Ferguson intends to put his faith in a side incorporating at least half a dozen understudies as he prepares for a fifth-round replay against, in his words, "the team of the season so far".
Alan Smith may get his first start since November 7th, while the extent of Ferguson's alleged fall-out with Neville may not become clear until Saturday's game at Liverpool.
Ferguson's reason for excluding Neville at Craven Cottage - not just from his starting XI but also the subs' bench - was that he expected Fulham to play a tall side.
It was an explanation that raised eyebrows - Neville is regarded as an accomplished header of the ball and United's smallest player, Patrice Evra, was preferred to Gabriel Heinze at left back - and there have been reports that the United captain was being punished for aiming a stream of invective at Ferguson as they clashed on the touchline during the Champions League tie against Lille a week ago.
Perhaps tellingly, United have chosen not to deny those stories.
Ferguson preferred to talk yesterday about Smith's impending return to the side. The former England striker has not been involved for the last four months after struggling to regain anything approaching his best form since his comeback from a broken leg.
"I said to him at the time that I thought going out on loan would be a good thing, but he had the drive and ambition to say, 'I want to get back into the team'. That showed great faith in himself and I like that," said Ferguson.
"Alan has been unfortunate because of the form of the team without him, but he still has a long-term future at the club."
Smith's involvement, however, is a clear sign that Ferguson no longer views the FA Cup with as much importance as previous years. "Everyone is saying it would be nice to get to the first final at the new Wembley," said the manager, "but it is not only going to be there for one year, is it?"
Carlos Queiroz, United's assistant manager, said he had not been surprised by Reading's rise after they held United to a draw in the Premiership.
"We play a lot of different teams. Quite often they do something special in one moment, or in one situation. On that night, Reading did it for 90 minutes."
Lille have announced they will appeal against Uefa's decision to throw out the club's protest about the validity of Manchester United's winning goal in the Champions League last week.
- Guardian Service
Boro wait on Xavier
Middlesbrough defender Abel Xavier will undergo a late fitness test ahead of tonight's FA Cup fifth-round replay with West Brom at The Hawthorns (kick-off 7.45pm).
Xavier missed Saturday's 2-1 English Premiership victory at home to Reading with a back injury. Midfielder Fabio Rochemback remains sidelined with a thigh injury.
West Brom manager Tony Mowbray expects to have a full squad to choose from. Striker Nathan Ellington (dead leg) and Martin Albrechtsen (hamstring) are slight doubts, but both are expected to be ready.
