Jonny Evans hopes to return to first-team action at Southampton in order to ease Manchester United's defensive headache.
The Northern Ireland international was an unused substitute against Fulham but made his comeback from an ankle operation in the Under-21s' 2-1 triumph against Tottenham at Moss Lane on Wednesday.
Warren Joyce was able to give Evans a full match in order to step up his fitness and the centre-back looked his usual assured self to provide a welcome boost with Rio Ferdinand, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling all currently sidelined.
