Rio's ready for league debut

Rio Ferdinand will make his long awaited Premiership debut for Manchester United tomorrow as Sir Alex Ferguson takes his injury-hit side to Sunderland.

The England defender is ready to partner French veteran Laurent Blanc after playing his first hour of competitive football for United on Tuesday in the Champions League.

The £30m (€47.3m) signing has been sidelined with an ankle injury since the week before the season started.

Ferguson will check on the fitness of Nicky Butt and goalkeeper Fabien Barthez before confirming his side for the game at the Stadium of Light.

Butt missed Tuesday’s Champions League qualifier with a toe injury and the United boss is anxious to see him back in the squad following the injury to Paul Scholes which has ruled him out for a fortnight.

Barthez has not played this season after injuring his hip during the Amsterdam tournament but speculation is mounting that the French star is close to a comeback.

Provisional squad: Carroll, P Neville, Ferdinand, Blanc, Silvestre, Beckham, Keane, Veron, Giggs, Solskjaer, van Nistelrooy, Butt, Forlan, Stewart, O’Shea, Chadwick, Williams/Barthez.