"Finally it seems, we have conquered the difficulties with his hamstrings. Even after Tuesday night's game, he was doing rehabilitation work, trying to get the suppleness and elasticity back into that area and his lower back.
"He does a lot of preparatory work now and it appears to have eradicated the problem. He has been at the centre of everything we have done for the last 10 years and that takes some doing, it really does.
"Other than the likes of Roy Keane, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, I don't think there is anyone else in the Premier League who can say that. When you consider what he has achieved and the fact he still keeps going, I think it is quite remarkable. It elevates him in everyone's mind. He has been a model professional since the first day he came to the club.''