Nemanja Vidic will return to Manchester United`s starting line-up as the Red Devils injury crisis starts to ease.

Michael Carrick is still going to be required to deputise alongside Vidic at centre-back for the Old Trafford encounter with Aston Villa.

However, with Vidic recovering from a flu virus, Wayne Rooney (hamstring) and Dimitar Berbatov (knee) getting over minor knocks and Ryan Giggs available after being rested, Sir Alex Ferguson does have more options, even if the game comes too early for Fabio Da Silva and Wes Brown (hamstring), who have started training.

Meanwhile, Ferguson has ruled out a January loan move for goalkeeper Ben Foster.

Although Edwin van der Sar remains sidelined by a knee injury, Foster appears to have slipped down the United pecking order as Tomasz Kuszczak has been in goal for four of the five games the Old Trafford side have played since the Dutchman has been out.

It has led to talk that Foster might be offer the chance to spend the second half of the season away from United in order to preserve his England World Cup dream.

However, the mere suggestion brought a brusque response from Ferguson.