SIR ALEX FERGUSON will assess Tim Howard’s performance in training before deciding whether to keep faith with the goalkeeper for the Barclays Premiership match against Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday night.
The Manchester United manager is concerned by a series of recent lapses by Howard, but he hopes that the goalkeeper’s confidence will be restored by the return to the defence of Rio Ferdinand from suspension.
The 2-2 draw away to Lyons in the Champions League on Wednesday was the last match of Ferdinand’s eight-month suspension for missing a drugs test and, in the defender’s absence, Howard has kept only five clean sheets in 24 appearances in all competitions. Even more worrying are the basic mistakes that have seen him gift goals to the opposition in the past two matches, against Lyons and Bolton Wanderers.
Ferguson is tempted to leave Howard out in favour of Roy Carroll, but he hopes that Ferdinand will bring more security to a shaky defence. The return of Wes Brown from injury and the belated arrival of Gabriel Heinze were expected to help, but the match in Lyons on Wednesday was characterised by hesitant defending.
However Roy Keane, the captain, declined to point the finger at individuals. “It’s not ideal when you’re giving away the goals we are, but it’s a team problem,” Keane said. “But it’s only the second week of September and we know there is plenty of improvement to come from the team. There has to be.”