Van Nistelrooy to stay

Ruud van Nistelrooy has sought to curtail the possibility of more speculation about his future by declaring that he wants to play a part in what Alex Ferguson has described as another two or three years of "transition" at Manchester United.

At various stages this season Van Nistelrooy has let it be known he is unhappy at the club's faltering progress, but he has now made it clear he wants to remain at Old Trafford rather than seek another club with a better chance of winning the European Cup.

Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Van Nistelrooy tried to distance himself from reports linking him with an end-of-season move to Milan. "I don't want to say anything about that because the fact is that Manchester United are in my heart. My only aim to stay for several more years in Manchester."

Van Nistelrooy has never hidden his frustration that his five years in England have not yielded a more impressive collection of medals and specifically that his chances of winning the Champions League appear to have dramatically receded by staying loyal to Ferguson.

Van Nistelrooy, who has made 207 appearances for United, needs just two more goals to become the eighth player to score 150 for the club and join an elite band including George Best, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and Mark Hughes.

He would love to do that on Saturday when United visit Liverpool in the fifth round of the FA Cup but the fact that he has never scored at Anfield suggests he may have to wait longer.

United's hopes of beating Liverpool have been bolstered by confirmation that the goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville should all be fit to face Rafael Benitez's side.

Neville is sure of a hot reception after his controversial celebration of United's winner in the recent tie between the sides at Old Trafford which earned him an FA misconduct charge.

Meanwhile, Quinton Fortune has returned to training after struggling to recover from a summer knee operation.