Tomasz Kuszczak could find himself in the firing line for Manchester United on Sunday as Sir Alex Ferguson awaits news of a fitness report on Edwin van der Sar. The veteran Dutchman failed to play any part in his country's friendly defeat to Switzerland in Geneva on Wednesday night after injuring his left foot in a training ground collision with Dirk Kuyt. While the damage was not serious enough to force van der Sar into an immediate flight back to the north west, he must be a major doubt for Spurs' visit to Old Trafford, when United will be looking to get their Premier League title defence up and running after a stuttering start which has seen them collect just two points from their opening three games.
If van der Sar does not make it, Kuszczak will step in for only his seventh league start since arriving from West Brom at the start of last term. The Poland international at least has the benefit of some recent match practice, having completed the second half of his country's friendly draw with England's Euro 2008 qualifying rivals Russia in Moscow on Wednesday.
Sunday's encounter represents the second game of Ronaldo's three-match ban so, with Wayne Rooney also missing, Scholes will once again be a key figure in United's quest for an eagerly-awaited first win. Given the week they have endured, Tottenham would appear to be perfect opponents. Yet, no matter who is lined up against them, Scholes is confident United have a squad that will eventually gel into a winning unit.
"We have signed four new players in the summer and it is just going to take a little bit of time for them to settle," he told MUTV. "I know supporters expect everyone to gel straightaway but it is not that simple. "They are coming to a new club, finding new houses and meeting new people, which cannot be the easiest thing in the world. "You only have to look at someone like Didier Drogba. It took him a year to settle in at Chelsea but since then he has been fantastic. And there are many more examples like that."
