Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is full of praise for Ashley Young as he returns from injury.

Young is back for today's clash with Stoke City.

"I wouldn't say Young has been forgotten," insisted the boss. "It's always the same when a player gets injured, he's not there so they can be out of people's minds. Young has shown his qualities.

"Very few players can cross the ball as well as he can and his goalscoring ratio is very good for us. Didn't he get 11 goals for us last season? For a wide player that's very good. I don't think you can underestimate that or forget it. I think any player coming to our club with ability and who also had a good record at Aston Villa will have the determination to do well.

"The opportunities are there for him, he has the opportunity to win things here and I don't think that's lost on him. I'm sure during the time he's been out he's been thinking about that. That's what players do when they've been out, they start thinking about what should have been for them and what they can be for him. That will hopefully surface as the season goes on now."