Dimitar Berbatov has been ruled out for two weeks with an ankle injury. "It's probably going to be another two weeks," said Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. "Hopefully he will be back training with us at the end of next week and he will be okay after that."

In addition, Carlos Tevez is not due back from South America until late following Argentina's stunning six-goal hammering in Bolivia.

"I think he gets back from Mars about 4pm," joked Ferguson.

"With Dimitar out and Wayne suspended hopefully Carlos will be okay. That will give us one striker, then we will have to choose another."

The 28-year-old Bulgarian could also crucially miss both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Porto and next weekend's league trip to Sunderland.