Blanc is Reds injury worry

Manchester United are getting ready to face Liverpool on Sunday without six of their big name players.

Laurent Blanc is Sir Alex Ferguson’s main worry as he prepares for the showdown at Anfield.

The French centre-back has been out since limping off last Saturday during the 5-3 win over Newcastle with a calf strain.

Blanc missed Tuesday’s Champions League win in Switzerland and has been under intensive treatment all week in a bid to get him ready for the trip to Merseyside.

With Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham, Roy Keane, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville all sidelined with injuries Sir Alex has fingers crossed Blanc will make it and step back into the centre of the defence alongside Wes Brown.

If he does Phil Neville is favourite to stand down with John O’Shea moving from the centre to replace him at right-back.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should continue on the right flank with South African winger Quentin Fortune remaining in midfield alongside Juan Sebastian Veron.

PROVISIONAL SQUAD: Barthez, O’Shea, Blanc, Brown, Silvestre, Solskjaer, Veron, Fortune, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy, Forlan, P Neville, Richardson, May, Ricardo.