Hargreaves to miss tour

Owen Hargreaves has today been ruled out of United's pre-season tour.

Sir Alex Ferguson told MUTV: "The bad news is that Owen Hargreaves is back in America seeing the specialist. He won't be ready for the start of the season. I don't know when he'll be back."

The midfielder was sidelined between September 2008 and April 2010 and required surgery on both knees but did return to action at the end of last season. He played 45 minutes for the Reserves before making a brief appearance off the bench in the first-team's final away fixture at Sunderland.

There’s plenty of positive news for United fans, though, with the boss confirming three key men should recover from injury in time to line up for the start of the season.

“Antonio Valencia should be okay and Nani should be ready for the start of the season, too. Michael Owen is doing great – he’s doing all his work in the gymnasium every day. I don’t think he’ll be fit to go to America but he should be ready for the start of the season.”

The boss also revealed Rio Ferdinand faces a battle to be fit for the Reds’ first league test, at home to Newcastle United on Monday 16 August, although admitted it will be a race that’s run close.

“It depends on how his progress is over the next few weeks,” he said.

Meanwhile, Brazilian midfielder Anderson remains on track to return from a cruciate knee injury in late September.

“He’s doing fine, he’s working hard, but it will be late September.”