Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hopes to have Rio Ferdinand available for Saturday's clash with Tottenham.

The Times says since returning from a four-month layoff with a chronic back problem in January, Ferdinand has suffered three injury setbacks.

United hope to have Ferdinand back for their Barclays Premier League home game against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday after he missed the 1-0 win away to City at the weekend with a groin problem, another offshoot of his longstanding back complaint.

Ferdinand also missed the 4-0 win away to Bolton Wanderers last month with a groin injury and the league match at home to West Ham United and the Carling Cup final against Aston Villa at Wembley in February because of issues with his back. There is also a concern about what these injury problems are doing for his state of mind as he struggles to put together a sustained run of games.