Ferguson hopeful Giggs will pick up PFA gong

ALEX FERGUSON is crossing his fingers Ryan Giggs gets the PFA player of the year award to go along with his landmark 800th Manchester United appearance this week.

The veteran Welshman has never won the prestigious individual prize despite being on the verge of his 11th Premier League title.

It is a bizarre fact that could be put right tomorrow when Giggs heads a five-pronged United assault on the six-man shortlist.

Ferguson feels it would be a fitting tribute to the 36-year-old, whose next appearance in a United shirt – either against Tottenham today or Arsenal in next Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final – will be number 800 in an incredible Red Devils career.

“I hope Ryan gets the PFA award,” said Ferguson. “He has played 30 games this season and the way we use squads nowadays, no-one plays in every game. Hopefully he is rewarded for his contribution to the game. He thoroughly deserves it.”

As Giggs played the entire 90 minutes against Portsmouth on Wednesday, the chances are he will not figure against Tottenham, with Ferguson preferring to keep his longest-serving player fresh for the first leg of an eagerly-awaited Champions League semi-final with Arsenal.

Gary Neville has been ruled out for a fortnight after suffering a nasty gash on his foot against Portsmouth.

However the return of Wes Brown has come just in time to avert a potential crisis, even if Rafael Da Silva will fill the right-back slot against Spurs as United look to consolidate their three-point lead at the Premier League summit.

Given Ferguson’s team also have a match in hand, it seemed a strange time for Rafael Benitez to maintain a feud with United.

It continued last week when Ferguson claimed Benitez had behaved with contempt towards Sam Allardyce for his reaction at a goal against Blackburn at Anfield recently.

Benitez’s response, that Ferguson knows Liverpool are a better side than United, is at odds with the current state of play.

The Scot has no wish to keep silent but at the moment, he prefers to let his team do the talking. And they are the ones shouting loudest.

“He is definitely saying a lot,” said Ferguson of Benitez’s jibes.

“But I am happy for him to carry on with it. I have to trust my players. I know they are good enough.

“I have trusted them for years now. That is why I have picked them.

“They are a good bunch of lads and we will just carry on the way we always have.”