Gary Neville and Tomasz Kuszczak have both been included in United's Reserves squad for the trip to Sunderland.
Kuszczak's inclusion in the 16-man group raises the prospects of Ben Foster being involved in some capacity against Derby County this weekend.
The Polish shot-stopper was sent off in the FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth, earning an immediate one-match ban. He had replaced Edwin van der Sar at half time, the Dutchman going off with a groin injury that casts doubt over his availability for the trip to Pride Park on Saturday.
Foster completed the full 90 minutes of United's 2-1 Reserves win over Middlesbrough last week and had been expected to go out on loan for the rest of the season. That is highly unlikely now, and he could even be thrust into first-team action if van der Sar does not recover in time to face the Rams.
For Reds skipper Neville, it's another step on a long road to his return for the first-team. He has been working hard on a specific fitness programme in training and is edging slowly, but surely, toward his first senior game in a year.
Wow! Foster to play at Derby!!!!
Reserves: S'land 1 United 0
Gary Neville completed his longest competitive outing to date on his return from injury, notching a solid 73 minutes of action as the Reserves were beaten by a late penalty at Sunderland.
Chances were few and far between in a keenly contested but scrappy fixture, with perhaps the best open-play chance of the evening falling to Neville in the second half.
The United club captain was thwarted from close range by Black Cats goalkeeper Martin Fulop, however, but he will be far from disappointed with another important step on his road to recovery after almost a year out of the first team picture.
It was Neville's replacement, David Gray, who was involved in Sunderland's winner just 12 minutes after joining the match.
The Scottish defender finger-tipped Jordan Cook's header over the bar after Tomasz Kuszczak had saved Jamie Chandler's initial effort, leaving the referee no choice but to send Gray off and award a penalty.
Former Leeds defender Ian Harte slotted the spot kick home to inflict a harsh defeat on a Reds side who had enjoyed the majority of what few chances there were.
In the first half, in-form winger Chris Eagles struck Fulop's crossbar with a cross, while Danny Welbeck also stabbed over from just inside the area after outmuscling former United defender Paul McShane.
Just after the hour mark Neville saw his effort well saved by Fulop, before Chris Eagles had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside. Neville also drew the best out of his own goalkeeper, with Kuszczak forced into a smart save after the veteran defender had deflected Harte's long-range free kick.
Eagles was then denied a penalty when he tumbled under a challenge from Harte with 18 minutes remaining, but it was the former Leeds man who would have the final say with the late winner.