O'Shea: No sulking here!

John O’Shea claims there will be no sulkers on show at Old Trafford tomorrow - but Phil Neville could be forgiven for being pretty downcast at his recent treatment.

Neville is expected to make only his fourth start of a disastrous campaign for Manchester United in their Carling Cup encounter with Crystal Palace.

The 26-year-old’s lack of first team opportunities this term has baffled United fans, particularly as the Red Devils have been performing so poorly and Neville was awarded a new five-year contract at the end of last season.

The Bury-born player made 43 appearances last term and his impressive form since converting from full-back to central midfield was one of the major factors behind Nicky Butt’s move to Newcastle.

So Neville could hardly have expected to make just three starts in the first three months of the campaign, particularly as Roy Keane and Paul Scholes have both suffered from injuries and indifferent form, while Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba are yet to prove they are good enough.

Before he was drafted back into Ferguson’s side for the hard-fought victory over Arsenal last month, Neville’s only previous starting berth came at Bolton in September.

After keeping his place for the trip to Portsmouth a week after the Gunners win, the England international was promptly dropped again.

But if the fans are looking for the player to provide an answer, they could be waiting a long time. He simply has not got one.

“I have played three games in six months, which isn’t good enough really,” he told MUTV.

“I played against Arsenal and Portsmouth and thought I did okay but then I found myself of the team again.

“It is frustrating and I don’t know why it has been like that. I came back for pre-season training fully fit and have not missed a day’s training since but I have not been selected.

“All I can do is bide my time and wait for a chance to impress the manager again.”

Coming from one of the most loyal and devoted players on United’s books, the words are a clear indication all is not well in the Red Devils camp.

In years gone by, the Carling Cup would be seen as a mere diversion from the twin effort of challenging for the Premiership title and trying to advance in the Champions League.

While Ferguson is not about to abandon his long-established principle of using the competition to give some of his junior and fringe players a game, he knows victory over in-form Crystal Palace is vital to raise morale around Old Trafford ahead of Sunday’s crucial trip to Newcastle, where anything other than maximum points would consign their outside title hopes to the dustbin.

With Quinton Fortune now recovered from a calf strain and likely to slot in at left-back, Neville will be hoping to get his preferred midfield berth, although with Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson and Darren Fletcher also set to play, it is not automatic he will get his wish.

Given United’s chronic goalscoring problems, Ferguson is unlikely to risk Ruud van Nistelrooy ahead of the Tyneside trip, although Louis Saha needs matches and could play.

More likely is a twin strike force of David Bellion, whose two league goals leave him joint second behind suspended Alan Smith, and Giuseppe Rossi, the teenager who has shown encouraging form at junior and reserve team level since his summer move from Parma.

Rossi seems certain to be involved at some point after he was presented with an official squad number today, although it is unlikely Ferguson currently views the 17-year-old as an answer to his Premiership worries.

At the back, Wes Brown is likely to partner O’Shea, the player who has suffered most from Gabriel Heinze’s arrival from Paris St Germain.

The young Irishman burst onto the scene two years ago but has since struggled to reach his debut season form on a consistent basis.

His first team chances haven’t been helped by a recent groin problem, although after nursing himself through the last month he reports training is now going well.

So, like Neville, Brown and Fletcher, O’Shea hopes to use tomorrow’s game as a platform to give Ferguson a nudge and try to end his own frustrations.

“Not playing does get frustrating but you have to put up with it because we have such a talented squad,” he said.

“The manager is always watching and it’s rare you will find a player sulking at this club.

“You just have to concentrate on your own game, stay focused and take your chance when it comes.

“Crystal Palace are doing well at the moment and they will be looking to claim a big scalp. But hopefully, the players we have will be more than capable of winning the game.”