Ruud cheer for Fergie?

Ferguson's squad has been ravaged during the first few weeks of the campaign by a succession of injuries that show no sign of abating.

Gary Neville, Louis Saha and John O'Shea are the latest victims after picking up knocks on World Cup duty over the past week that have ruled them out of the Reebok Stadium trip.

Even new arrival Wayne Rooney will not be available for at least another three weeks as he continues his recovery from the broken foot he suffered during Euro 2004.

The situation will almost certainly force Ferguson into handing Gabriel Heinze his debut even though the Argentine defender only met most of his team-mates for the first time this week.

And the Scot is also toying with the idea of starting with Van Nistelrooy, whose goal threat has been badly missed by a side who have scored just three times in four Premiership games so far this term.

The prolific Dutchman has netted 110 times in his three seasons with the Red Devils but has not played a competitive game this season following his hernia operation last month.

So, after 10 days training, Ferguson is more likely to take the safe option of putting Van Nistelrooy on the bench.

"Ruud is very close," said Ferguson.

"He has done everything we have asked of him in training over the last 10 days and now he just needs to get back into football again.

"It is a major decision what to do with him tomorrow but maybe putting him on the bench would be the sensible thing."

Van Nistelrooy's presence in the squad, particularly with Wednesday's Champions League opener in Lyon looming, would at least give Ferguson some kind of striking option.

Alan Smith has carried the fight alone for most of the campaign and, with Saha suffering a recurrence of his troublesome knee injury in France's victory over the Faroe Islands on Wednesday, the former Leeds striker will again shoulder the burden against Sam Allardyce's third-placed side.

It is in defence, though, where Ferguson faces his major problems.

In addition to O'Shea and Neville, who the United boss hopes will be back against Lyon, Wes Brown and Quinton Fortune have also been ruled out, while Rio Ferdinand's eight-month ban does not expire for another 11 days.

Ferguson must therefore give Heinze his chance, even though the Scot previously indicated his new defender was putting his entire United career in jeopardy by jetting off on almost two months of constant international duty with Argentina that took in Copa America, the Olympics and World Cup qualifiers.

At least the United boss knows Heinze is match fit, so the £6.9million former Paris St Germain star is set to slot in at left-back, with skipper Roy Keane dropping into the centre-half role alongside Mikael Silvestre.

"There is a big chance Gabriel will come in tomorrow because of the number of injuries we have," said Ferguson.

"John O'Shea and Quinton Fortune are not fit, Wes Brown has not had any football and Gary Neville is out, so it does leave me with a big problem."

The injuries must be overcome, though, if United are to stay in touch with title rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, who are blazing a trail at the top of the Premiership.

Both London outfits still boast 100% records, with the Red Devils seven points adrift, meaning victory is vital to their championship cause.

Yet Ferguson admits it promises to be no easy task against a team that has won three of its four games this season and whose manager has impressed sufficiently to attract the attention of Newcastle.

"Sam has done an incredible job at Bolton," said Ferguson.

"They are one of the most respected sides in the country now and it was no surprise to me that Newcastle expressed an interest in him.

"Maybe the bigger surprise was that he turned them down.

"But Sam is a Bolton man. He played with them for the most part of his career.

"That generates a great loyalty and it is probably the only reason he turned it down."