Neville emerges as Keane’s surprise successor

THE unlikely figure of Phil Neville has emerged from a posse of Manchester United midfield hopefuls to become the natural successor to captain Roy Keane.

Doubts expressed over the vulnerability of the United engine room following the summer departures of David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron have been obliterated by Neville's superb early-season form.

From being a mere bit-part player in the Red Devils' persistent drive for honours, the 26-year-old has suddenly become an integral component of Alex Ferguson's plans.

In years gone by, the absence of Keane from United's travelling party to face Panathinaikos might have raised expectations of a rare first-team start for Neville. Not any more. Now the England international is a fixture in Ferguson's line-up.

So when they awake and stare out of their hotel rooms on to Athens' fume-filled streets this morning no doubt wondering like everyone else how the traffic-clogged city will manage to host an Olympic Games in nine months' time it is Nicky Butt, Kleberson and Diego Forlan who will be fretting about whether they will get a chance to play.

"Phil Neville's performances over the last few months have changed his career," claimed Ferguson.

"For many years we regarded him as a utility player. In the past we have played him in both full-back positions, the right and left-hand side of midfield and then in the centre. But when it came to picking my strongest team he always seemed to be left on the side.

"Now he has discovered a position he feels suited to. He has matured so much, and the level of his performances means it is very difficult to replace him in the team."

Although Ferguson again expressed the hope that Keane's injury-ravaged body would plough on for "another two or three years", the wily Scot has already accepted his influential captain will have to be guided through the latter stages of his career.

While the minor hamstring strain he picked up against Blackburn would not have prevented Keane from turning out at the compact Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium tonight, Sunday's crunch Barclaycard Premiership encounter with Chelsea ensured Ferguson would take no risks with the Irishman's long-term health.

While the jury is still out on Eric Djemba-Djemba and Kleberson despite an impressive show against Blackburn Ferguson believes the changes have laid a solid platform for future success.

Ferguson claimed he has not yet decided who would replace Keane, although it would be a major blow for Butt if he did not get a run.

Needing just a single point from their final two matches to guarantee a place in the knockout stage, United's Champions League participation after the new year looks a racing certainty.

The FA are hoping to announce the date for Rio Ferdinand's hearing for failing to attend a drugs test at some point next week.

The Manchester United and England defender has decided to contest an FA charge of failure or refusal to take a drugs test after he missed a random test at his club's Carrington training ground on September 23.

Meanwhile, UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body will convene on December 4 to decide whether or not Ferdinand's United team-mate Ryan Giggs was guilty of elbowing Vadim Evseev in the first leg of the Euro 2004 play-off between Wales and Russia in Moscow.