Nemanja Vidic is set to replace Rio Ferdinand in the Manchester United line-up to face Arsenal on Sunday.
Ferdinand misses out as he starts a four-game suspension, the FA disciplinary panel deciding his appeal against a violent conduct charge for an attack on Hull’s Craig Fagan last weekend was “frivolous”.
But Vidic is ready to step into the breach after a six-game absence with a nerve problem down the right side of his leg.
Provisional squad: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Brown, Rafael, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Park, Nani, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Gibson, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney, Owen, Berbatov, Diouf.