Ferguson set to have Owen back for United against Chelsea
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Sir Alex Ferguson set to have Owen Hargreaves back for Manchester United against Chelsea
Long road to recovery: Hargreaves can finally see light at the end of the tunnel
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson expects Owen Hargreaves to be making his first-team return in three weeks - in time to face Chelsea.
The midfielder returned to Carrington last month after spending a year in the United States recovering from ground-breaking surgery on both knees to combat a long-standing tendinitis problem.
Hargreaves was initially accompanied by his personal physiotherapist before care was transferred to the United medical staff.
The 28-year-old is progressing well. And though Ferguson is bound to be planning a low-key return on reserve team duty somewhere, the Scot feels Hargreaves will be available again at the start of next month.
'Owen is doing a lot of good work now,' he said. 'He is making great progress, which we are very pleased about.
'It is not a thing you have to rush because he has been out a year. We have to monitor it a bit more closely but he is giving us good signs. 'He should be back in the first-team level in three weeks from now, easily.'
In theory that would give Hargreaves a chance of being fit for the eagerly-awaited encounter with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on November 8.
It would seem unlikely Ferguson would pitch the former Bayern Munich star into such a high-profile occasion, so an outing immediately after the international break that follows is far more likely, particularly as United should have booked their place in the Champions League knock-out stages by then.
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Great to have him back on time..