LARSSON'S REPLACEMENT

Ferguson believes Alan Smith will be ready to play again once Henrik Larsson returns to Sweden.

"Alan will soon be really important to us - he has trained superbly," said the Reds boss. "I gave him a game in the reserves against Liverpool and it showed he needed a game. When we put him into midfield in the second half he did really well.

"He is absolutely outstanding in training and is improving all the time. I could play him today, no problem at all. "