Source: Telegraph
Edwin van der Sar to reclaim Manchester United's No 1 jersey against Bolton
Van der Sar, 38, completed 90 minutes during a reserve team victory over Everton in Widnes on Tuesday after being sidelined since the end of July with a thumb injury. And he admits that he expects to be fit and in contention for a first-team return when United face Bolton at Old Trafford on Oct 17. Van der Sar said: "I will be ready for Bolton. I feel good and I haven't had any reaction (after the reserve game). The Bolton match is still 10 days away so I have more training to do and then I will be ready for my first start of the season." Related ArticlesFerguson needs 'severe' punishmentWiley stats dampen Ferguson claimsPatrice Evra's swipe at LiverpoolFA asks Ferguson to explain referee commentsGive us a break, FergusonSir Alex Ferguson facing FA chargeSenior United players rarely turn out for the club's second string, but Van der Sar admits it was the perfect opportunity to prove his fitness away from the more demanding glare of the Premier League. He said: "Of course I could train, but there are a lot of lads away on international duty so there are not many players around. "I just felt this was the ideal opportunity to get some action in a real game." The Dutch goalkeeper's return to full fitness has coincided with Foster's fall from grace after just ten competitive games this season. Foster, who has withdrawn from the England squad for the forthcoming fixtures against Ukraine and Belarus with a chest injury, is reported to have been subjected to strong criticism from manager Sir Alex Ferguson following the 2-2 draw against Sunderland at the weekend. Both Sunderland goals could be put down to Foster's failings and, after similar errors of judgement against Manchester City and Arsenal, his grip on the number one position appeared to have been loosened even before Van der Sar's return to fitness. While billing Foster as a potential long-term solution to England's goalkeeping problem, Ferguson has been unusually critical of the 26-year-old in recent weeks. He openly blamed Foster for Andrey Arshavin's goal during a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in August before criticising the goalkeeper following his performance against City. The United manager's criticisms are based on his belief that Foster, an affable and laid-back character, requires more vociferous motivation than some of his team-mates. Having signed a new contract at the start of the season, however, Foster's long-term future at Old Trafford is not in question. Brazilian teenager Douglas Costa has insisted that he wants to remain in Brazil until he breaks into the national team before moving to Europe. The 17-year-old has been linked with a move to United, who are keen to sign the player billed as the 'new' Ronaldinho. Gremio's £20m asking price is way beyond United's £6m valuation, but Costa claims that his immediate future is in Brazil. He said: "I know that Gremio have received many proposals from big clubs like Manchester United and rejected them all. My opinion is that it would be wrong for me to even think about Europe while I'm on the bench for Gremio and often on the bench for Brazil. "When I do move, I want it to because I'm already a star for my club and my national team. I have spoken to him (Ronaldinho) about this on quite a few occasions. "He feels the same way I do: the important thing is for me to be myself. I have to follow my own course and I don't want to be the 'new' anyone - I want to be Douglas Costa." EmailPrint .at15t_email {display:none !important;}Share|tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/6268422/Edwin-van-der-Sar-to-reclaim-Manchester-Uniteds-No-1-jersey-against-Bolton.html';tweetmeme_style = 'compact';tweetmeme_source = 'TelegraphNews';Email|Printhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/6268422/Edwin-van-der-Sar-to-reclaim-Manchester-Uniteds-No-1-jersey-against-Bolton.htmlTelegraphNews Man Utd