FOR a moment or two, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson presented the case for starting Rio Ferdinand on the bench against Liverpool tonight, arguing that the hype over his return might outweigh the importance of the game. But, unable to convince himself, let alone his audience, he laughed and said: Nah, you're right, I'll play him.''
Ferguson liked the idea of galvanising the Theatre Of Dreams by sending on Ferdinand, who has completed his eight-month suspension for failing to take a drugs test, as a substitute. The truth, however, is that United's beleaguered defence cannot afford to wait another second for him to bring some cohesion to their ranks and for Ferguson to delay that would invite the crowd to ask if he were Kevin Keegan in disguise.