Howard fights for first-team spot

Edwin van der Sar needs to start watching his back, because Tim Howard wants his Manchester United place back.

Howard has been nothing more than a fringe player in Alex Ferguson’s squad since losing his place to Roy Carroll following a Barclays Premiership win over Newcastle last April.

Although Carroll has now left Old Trafford for West Ham, he has since been replaced by van der Sar, whose injury-free record has restricted Howard to just two senior appearances this term, both in the Carling Cup.

Ferguson is set to recall Howard again for tonight’s quarter-final tussle with struggling Birmingham at St Andrews and while van der Sar seems certain to reclaim his place for the St Stephen's Day encounter with West Brom, his rival for the first-team jersey does not accept he is just a bit-part player on the Red Devils scene.

“Edwin has said he needs to keep on his toes and that is the case,” Howard told MUTV. “We have some really good professionals here who are fighting for a place.

“Everyone is training well and watching their backs. That is the way it should be at a big club like this.”