Ferdinand fitness vital, says Ferguson

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has acknowledged Rio Ferdinand's return to action could not have been better timed.

The United defender had been out of action for over two months with a calf injury when he made a seamless return in the first leg of the Champions League quarter–final win over Chelsea.

Three weeks and three games later, Ferdinand looks as if he has never been away and tonight in Gelsenkirchen will be one of the United men aiming to keep legendary Spain striker Raul quiet.

If he can manage it, Ferdinand will have taken the Red Devils a long way towards reaching their third final in four seasons.

Ferguson believes the omens are good. Ferdinand will partner skipper Nemanja Vidic at the heart of United's defence.

Vidic was rested for the 1-0 victory over Everton in the Barclays Premier League at the weekend.

Elsewhere, the make–up of Ferguson's team is rather harder to predict.

Park Ji–sung, for instance, is virtually certain to start but could occupy a spot in a three–man central midfield or on either of the flanks.

Similarly Wayne Rooney might be pushed out wide, if Ferguson selects in–form Javier Hernandez, could be selected as a lone striker, as he was against Bayern 12 months ago, or even in midfield, where he has been pretty effective in the last couple of games.

Dimitar Berbatov misses out with a groin injury.

It is a fair bet Rooney will have a better time of it that he did on his last visit to Gelsenkirchen though, made infamous by the Cristiano Ronaldo wink that accompanied his red card for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho as England bowed out of the World Cup to Portugal in 2006.