Valencia trains, Park blow for Utd

Posted Wednesday, February 16, 2011 by UK.eurosport.yahoo.com

Manchester United have been boosted by Antonio Valencia's return to training only five months after he suffered a horrific broken ankle in a Champions League draw with Rangers - although fellow winger Park Ji-sung was ruled out for a month with a hamstring problem.

Ecuador winger Valencia had been expected to miss most if not all of the season after a freak dislocation and fracture left his lower leg at a sickening angle during the game at Old Trafford in September.

But Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed that he had begun training with the reserve squad, tempering the blow that Park would miss another month following his absence on South Korea Asian Cup duty.

"The good news is that Valencia started training with the reserves on Saturday," Ferguson said on the United website. "So he’s on his way back and that will be a real boost to have him available for the run-in.

"We got a blow on Saturday morning with the news that Park did his hamstring on Friday afternoon in training.

"It was very unfortunate because it was his last kick of the ball in training as well. We were really looking forward to having him back after being away for a month at the Asian Cup. He’ll be out for up to a month."

Despite the absence of both players United have managed to extend a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League, and face Marseille in the last 16 of the Champions League.