Neville injury blow for United

ALEX FERGUSON has confirmed Gary Neville will miss the next 10 days of Manchester United’s pre-season programme after suffering a groin injury in training on Thursday.

Neville has flown back to England for treatment and has been ruled out of the remainder of United’s Far East tour, the Audi Cup in Munich next week, when United will place two games, the first against Boca Juniors on Wednesday and, in all probability, the Old Trafford friendly with Valencia on August 5.

“Gary Neville tweaked his groin yesterday in training,” said Ferguson following his side’s 3-2 win over FC Seoul. “He will probably be ready in about 10 days.

“It would have been silly to keep him here if he was not going to play so we sent him home.”

On the pitch yesterday Wayne Rooney and Federico Macheda were both on target for the second time in pre-season, with Dimitar Berbatov breaking his duck by nodding home the winner midway through the second half.

For Macheda in particular, an impressive Far East tour is a major bonus, as it will give his manager faith that, in the 17-year-old, he has someone capable of being fourth striker to Rooney, Berbatov and Michael Owen.

“Federico’s goal was excellent,” enthused Ferguson.

“His movement was very good and he always seems to do well when he gets on the shoulder of defenders.

“It is really pleasing to see your strikers scoring.

“Obviously the main ones are going to be Owen, Rooney and Berbatov and I am very comfortable with that.

“But if Federico continues to progress, it will be a big advantage to us because it would give us an extra player from the word go.”