Updated: December 27, 2008, 7:42 AM Print Rio Ferdinand will sit out Manchester United's Premier League match against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on Monday night.
The England defender suffered a back spasm before the side claimed a narrow victory at Stoke.
Patrice Evra is again ruled out through suspension while Dimitar Berbatov is pushing for a recall to the team after making an impact when he stepped off the bench on Boxing Day.
Meanwhile David Wheater is set to return to the Middlesbrough side for Monday's trip to Manchester United after missing the Boxing Day defeat to Everton.
Gareth Southgate has a number of other options and may also choose to give Brazilian striker Afonso Alves a start after his forward line's laboured display against the Toffees.
But the game will definitely come too soon for French midfielder Didier Digard who failed a test on his groin injury prior to the Everton game and has now been ruled out until the new year.
Kick-off on Monday is 8pm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Amos, Neville, Vidic, O'Shea, Evans, Rafael, Ronaldo, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Gibson, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Welbeck.
Middlesbrough (from): Turnbull, Jones, McMahon, Taylor, Grounds, Pogatetz, Huth, Wheater, Bates, Hines, Williams, Arca, Walker, Downing, Johnson, O'Neil, Aliadiere, Tuncay, Alves, Mido, Emnes.
