The United and England defender is hoping to be back for the New Year...

On the same day that it was revealed that Jonathan Woodgate will undergo a hernia operation, there is better news on another young England defender...

Wes Brown, who was rated highly enough by Sven to make the final 22 for last year's World Cup finals, is now on the road back to full fitness following his cruciate knee ligament injury.

"The recovery is going fine," he told ManUtd.com. "I've starting running now, which is a good sign. We're just looking at it on a day-by-day basis. If I have a good day then I can maybe push myself a little more the next. But everything seems to be going well at the moment."

With training going according to plan, Brown maintains the target of a New Year comeback is very much a possibility.

Wes told us: "We've always said late December to early January, and realistically that is still the case. That still seems like a long way off. But like I said, if it goes well, you never know. Up to now, though, I think I'm on course."