Neville close to Man Utd return

Manchester United captain Gary Neville is optimistic he will be fit to play again in a fortnight's time - ending almost six months on the sidelines.

The England right-back, 32, has not played since suffering an ankle injury on 17 March and then a thigh problem at the start of the new season.

He told MUTV: "I hope to be playing games in the next couple of weeks.

"It has been frustrating but I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I just need to get fit."

Neville added: "Because I've been out for such a long time I think the Everton game, on 15 September, is going to be too soon, I think it will probably be after that.

"When I originally suffered the injury I thought I'd be out for six to eight weeks.

"But I had a problem with a loose bit of bone and that is why I had to have the operation to get rid of it, which was another three months.

"Then this thigh injury just made it a few extra weeks longer so it's the longest injury I've ever had."

When fit, Neville will face a battle with in-form defender Micah Richards for a place in England's starting line-up for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia in October.