Stars back to boost United in crunch tie

MANCHESTER UNITED may have been given a welcome break ahead of today's meeting with Old Trafford nemesis Chelsea, but Alex Ferguson still believes it will be a tight contest.

Excluding international weeks, Ferguson's leg-weary Red Devils have enjoyed their first seven-day period without a game since the start of a season which opened with a Champions League qualifier against Zalaegerszeg in mid-August. In between, the United manager has been hit by an horrific injury list which would have sent most sides tumbling out of the title race before the Christmas presents had been unwrapped.

Despite a couple of notable setbacks Ferguson's men have survived, and with Nicky Butt returning to the squad after three months out with an ankle problem and Ryan Giggs and Juan Sebastian Veron recovering from hamstring and ankle injuries respectively, finally Ferguson has all his senior players fit for the first time this season.