Sir Alex Ferguson insists he would have no qualms about playing Patrice Evra at Liverpool in the FA Cup later this month.
Frenchman ready to play in FA Cup tie
Sir Alex Ferguson insists he would have no qualms about playing Patrice Evra at Liverpool in the FA Cup later this month.
Manchester United travel to Anfield in the fourth round, and it would mark the first time Evra has returned to the ground since Luis Suarez racially abused him.
Suarez will still be serving his eight-game suspension for the tie on January 28, but given the vitriol that came out of Liverpool in the wake of that case, sentiment is bound to be against Evra, who has assumed the United captaincy since Nemanja Vidic sustained his season-ending cruciate injury.
However, Ferguson is not concerned by that.
"He's done OK. I haven't decided on that (whether Evra will play) but it wouldn't be a problem for me," said Ferguson.
The United boss is maintaining a club stance about not talking specifically about the Suarez case and rebuffed questions on the subject.
Yet he did say Evra was the automatic choice as captain given the two most obvious alternatives - Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand - are, due to age and injury, not regular members of his starting line-up.
Very friendly
"Rio would have been the captain if he didn't have that inconsistency because of a series of injuries," said Ferguson.
"Someone who will be playing all the time should be at the forefront of your mind to be your captain and that was the case with Patrice.
"He is not as voluble as Rio but he certainly influences a lot of things and his own performance are very good.
"The players look up to him. He's very popular with a good personality. He's very friendly, has humour and he is a determined lad."
