Butt a doubt for United

Nicky Butt is Manchester United’s major injury concern for their must-win Premiership trip to Aston Villa.

The England international suffered an ankle knock in the latter stages of Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Basle and manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be desperately hoping Butt makes it as Roy Keane (hamstring) and Juan Sebastian Veron (knee) have already been ruled out.

Mikael Silvestre could return at left-back to what should be a more recognisable United side, with David Beckham, Fabien Barthez, Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ryan Giggs all set for starting berths.

If Butt does not make it, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should retain his place but there is unlikely to be room for promising youngster Darren Fletcher, whose midweek debut earned rave reviews from the United staff.

PROVISIONAL SQUAD: Barthez, Carroll, Ricardo, G Neville, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O’Shea, Beckham, P Neville, Scholes, Butt, Giggs, Van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer, Forlan, Roche, Richardson, Pugh, Fletcher.