MANCHESTER (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson has all but confirmed he will recall Rio Ferdinand for Manchester United`s Premiership clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford.
It will be the first time England defender Ferdinand has played a competitive game since his eight-month ban for failing to attend a drugs test last year.
Ferguson says in his programme notes for the game: "Some might have thought that I would give Rio a warm-up game, but that has not been possible and I think it is best that I throw him in at the deep end.
"He will revel in the great atmosphere generated on these occasions," Ferguson said Monday.
"The only time he has missed training has been when he may have had to go to London to see his lawyer, for example. The rest of the time he has been here, working away."
Ferguson is certain Ferdinand will help end his side`s recent defensive problems.
"Until Rio went away, the back four never changed and we got the results that justifies that continuity," he said.
"Rio has done fantastically well. You need a lot of patience and sacrifice because after training every day, you don`t have the joy of playing on a Saturday.
"It`s not easy but you have to keep digging away, looking forward to the day you come back."