Diego Forlan could make his Manchester United debut tonight against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium, but the striker is expected to be named on the bench, just one week after completing his £7.5 million transfer from Independiente.
United manager Alex Ferguson said the Uruguayan would probably need two weeks to settle in at Old Trafford and regain his match fitness. However, the 22-year-old has impressed Ferguson in training and he feels he is ready for a place in his squad.
Forlan will be part of a formidable United squad at the Reebok as Ryan Giggs is set to start after being laid low by flu last week. Ferguson felt Giggs was only fit enough to be a substitute for Saturday's FA Cup defeat at Middlesbrough, but the Welshman claims he is ready to go now.
Giggs has been as disappointed as anyone in the United camp by the team's defeats in their last two games against Liverpool and Middlesbrough. He claimed they must halt that slide against Bolton and it would be "criminal" if they let their recent eight-game winning run go to waste.
Bolton are just as desperate to win to stay clear of the relegation zone. Manager Sam Allardyce's side won at Old Trafford in October and Giggs knows they will be awkward opponents. He respects what Allardyce and his players have achieved so far this season.
"They've got a lot of experienced players, who've played at the top," he said. "That's obviously helped them and they've got youngsters like Kevin Nolan and Michael Ricketts and they will be looking to players like that to see them through."
Ferguson will be looking for a reaction to Saturday's hugely disappointing defeat for United. He will wheel back all his big guns and in addition to Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy, on the bench against Boro, will start. David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron, who scored United's goal in that 2-1 defeat back in October, are doubtful with injuries.
With time running out for Manchester United to clinch the signature of West Ham's Paolo di Canio ahead of Thursday's Champions League deadline, Dwight Yorke's prospective move to Middlesbrough looks likely to be decided within the next 72 hours.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have suspended security chief Ned Kelly from all work with the club while they investigate allegations of ticket touting.
Greater Manchester Police are looking into claims Kelly, whose company, Special Projects Security, is responsible for security and stewarding at United, sold tickets and corporate boxes at vastly-inflated prices.
A spokesman for United said: "Ned Kelly has been removed from all operational activities on behalf of Manchester United, pending the outcome of an internal club inquiry.
"Separately, Greater Manchester Police are involved in an investigation of the alleged ticket-touting reported in the Sunday Mirror article."
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)