United boosted by Keane fitness
Manchester United have received an FA Cup final boost after captain Roy Keane came through a training session at the club’s Carrington training ground this morning.
The United skipper had been a major doubt for Saturday’s Millennium Stadium showdown with Division One club Millwall after struggling to shake off a long-standing hamstring problem.
Keane has been troubled by the injury since February and missed the last three games of the Red Devils’ Premiership campaign.
Manager Alex Ferguson had given the influential Corkman until today to prove his fitness but providing Keane suffers no reaction to his exertions, he is almost certain to play in his sixth FA Cup final this weekend, setting a new post-war record.
Providing Keane is fit to play, it would leave Ferguson with a major dilemma over the make-up of his side to face Dennis Wise’s men.
Youngster Darren Fletcher would previously have been thought of as the obvious choice to stand down from the team that defeated Aston Villa last weekend.
However, the Scottish international was impressive at Villa Park, as he was in the previous week’s draw against Chelsea.
Fletcher’s extra attacking edge in midfield could persuade Ferguson to name him in his starting line-up and with Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs expected to occupy the wide positions.
Phil Neville is the man most at risk of losing his place, although John O’Shea could also conceivably lose out as Neville could also fill the Irishman’s left-back berth.
