Ronaldo returns for United

Cristiano Ronaldo heads a list of four big-name stars who return to the Manchester United line-up to face Reading at Old Trafford today.

Gabriel Heinze, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand were also recalled for the Premiership leaders but while captain Gary Neville is absent, club sources rejected reports he is about to have surgery to correct a troublesome calf injury.

On their first league visit to Old Trafford, legendary United winger Steve Coppell is plotting a memorable Reading win and there is little surprise that his team is unchanged from the one which drew at Chelsea on Boxing Day.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Ronaldo, O’Shea, Carrick, Park, Rooney, Solskjaer.

Subs: Kuszczak, Saha, Giggs, Richardson, Fletcher.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Little, Sidwell, Gunnarsson, Harper, Doyle, Lita.

Subs: Federici, Hunt, Oster, Sodje, Ki-Hyeon.