Saha on course for quick return

Alex Ferguson today rejected reports that Louis Saha will be out until 2005.

The French striker has a knee medial ligament injury but Ferguson said he is still on course to return in three weeks.

Ferguson said: “Louis Saha has not had an operation, and has been training terrifically for the last week and doing everything apart from kicking a ball.”

United have no further injury worries following Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Dinamo Bucharest but Darren Fletcher’s suspension means that nine senior players will be missing for the trip to Stamford Bridge.

They are Saha, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Kleberson, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Wes Brown who are all injured, Fletcher and Rio Ferdinand who are suspended, plus Cristiano Ronaldo and Gabriel Heinze who are playing in the Olympics.

Liam Miller is likely to replace Fletcher on the right of midfield but apart from that United should be unchanged against Chelsea.

Team (from): Howard, G Neville, Keane, Silvestre, Fortune, Miller, Djemba-Djemba, O’Shea, Giggs, Scholes, Smith, P Neville, Forlan, Bellion, Eagles, Richardson, Spector, Bardsley, Carroll, Ricardo.