Fergie names Barthez, Scholes and Silvestre

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson sprang a major surprise at Old Trafford tonight by naming Fabien Barthez, Paul Scholes and Mikael Silvestre in his side to face Middlesbrough.

Neither Barthez nor Scholes was expected to be fit for another week after recent hip and ankle problems respectively, while Silvestre had been given little chance of making the game after suffering a neck injury against Sunderland on Saturday.

With Nicky Butt back as well after missing two games with a toe injury, it meant United were at full strength apart from missing skipper Roy Keane and Gary Neville, yet to fully recover from the broken foot he suffered at the back end of last season.

With Keane undergoing the hip operation which will rule him out for at least three months, United wisely taking him out of the firing line after all the recent controversy, much attention centred around the performance of Juan Veron.

Like United, Middlesbrough have gleaned five points from an unbeaten start to the new campaign and arrived at Old Trafford buoyed by two victories over the Red Devils last season, including an Alen Boksic-inspired league win in the corresponding fixture.

Boksic though was absent this time, although former Red Devils number two Steve McClaren did include a familiar face in another United old boy Jonathan Greening.

Man Utd v Middlesbrough Man Utd: Barthez, Phil Neville, Silvestre, Blanc, Ferdinand, Beckham, Veron, Butt, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy. Subs: Ricardo, Solskjaer, Forlan, O’Shea, Pugh.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Ehiogu, Southgate, Cooper, Queudrue, Boateng, Geremi, Greening, Job, Maccarone. Subs: Crossley, Gavin, Wilson, Whelan, Marinelli. Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire)