Duo return to United training
David Moyes has confirmed Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie trained on Monday morning and could return for Manchester United's Barclays Premier League encounter with Cardiff at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Rooney has been missing with a groin strain since the New Year's Day defeat by Tottenham, whilst Van Persie suffered a thigh problem in the Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk last month.
However, both are in contention to face Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men, along with B#37.1million new-boy Juan Mata, who is set to make his debut.
"They have all trained today," said Moyes.
Moyes could also have midfielder Marouane Fellaini back after wrist surgery.
Meanwhile, the United boss has dismissed rumours of a big-money bid for teenage sensation Adnan Januzaj from Paris St-Germain.
"I think you have been listening to too much speculation," said Moyes to a question about Januzaj's future.
"Adnan is very much part of what we are doing and it will continue to be that way."
Moyes has also side-stepped questions over the future of Rooney, whose contract expires in 2015 but has been linked with a massive extension, that could net him B#300,000 a week.
"It is one I have left with (executive vice-chairman) Ed Woodward and Wayne and his advisors," said Moyes.
"We will give you an update on it at the right time. Right now I would prefer to talk about his performances."
Moyes might find himself in rather a strange situation on Tuesday given the reception for the opposing manager is going to be far more enthusiastic than his own given the depth of feeling for Solskjaer at Old Trafford.
Yet the Scot feels such accolades are fully deserved.
"He deserves it because of what he has done here," said Moyes.
"He won the Champions League and was a great ambassador for Manchester United."
Cardiff boss Solskjaer admits he always regarded returning to Manchester United as a manager as an "unrealistic dream".
But the former United striker will be back at Old Trafford this week, in charge of the side using the opposing dugout, looking to win points for the Bluebirds' relegation fight.
The Norwegian has been handed a quick return to his former stomping ground after Cardiff identified him as the man to pull them away from the Barclays Premier League drop zone earlier this month.
He is certain to receive a good reception, with his playing days at the club from 1996-2007, under Sir Alex Ferguson, fresh in the memory.
It is a situation he has previously imagined, but without thinking it might really occur before he began his managerial career with Molde.
The 40-year-old said: "It has not been an ambition but it has been sort of an unrealistic dream. You never know one day you might end up there.
"The former manager just always installed into us 'dream big', and maybe unrealistic, because you never know it might happen.
"For me to play at Man United was never in my wildest dreams.
"So now I'm there as a manager. It just comes by coincidence. You just end up there."
Solskjaer, who famously scored United's late winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final, has no room for sentiment, however.
Cardiff are bottom of the table without a win in six games in the competition.
With the table tight - just six points separate the Bluebirds from 10th-placed Aston Villa - the position is not yet precarious, but Solskjaer knows results need to improve.
When asked what victory would mean to him, he said: "Three points, of course.
"We can't say that we are going to win, we are going to go there and put a performance on that we will be proud of, come back home with no regrets.
"You go out there to perform on the pitch and as long as you give it your all and come back from places like this with pride."
United have endured a rocky spell with the side seventh in the table, recently knocked out of both domestic cups and pressure building on Moyes.
The timing of the fixture could be good for Cardiff but, still fiercely loyal to his former club, Solskjaer refuses to say anything against United.
He said: "Of course the fear factor is still there. You're going to the biggest club in the world.
"I can remember many bad defeats that you react to. That's Man United, they always bounce back."
Source: PA
