The future of Manchester United defender Jonny Evans could be decided this weekend.
The Independent says with Rio Ferdinand to miss the derby against Manchester City, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is now looking for someone else to partner Nemanja Vidic.
A year ago it would have been Evans, whose departure from the Northern Ireland squad with an ankle problem on Tuesday, just as United's training session came to an end, could be interpreted as the result of a discreet phone call from Manchester.
Now, the 24-year-old looks a less likely candidate to replace Ferdinand and, with Wes Brown having almost vanished from Ferguson's radar, 21-year-old Chris Smalling, who has only three Premier League starts, looks like the one who might be given the responsibility.
