TEAM NEWS

United hope to have Alan Smith back for the Carling Cup showdown with Chelsea on Wednesday - but Darren Fletcher will miss out with an ankle injury.

"Hopefully Alan Smith will be ready for Wednesday," Ferguson told the club's website. "That will start to give us that strength up front.”

"We'll just have to wait. Darren Fletcher has picked up an injury, so that will probably rule him out. We will have a look at our resources."

Roy Keane, meanwhile, will miss United's FA Cup fourth round with Middlesbrough after his booking against Aston Villa.