Fergie: Rio will play

Star witness: Sir Alex Ferguson arrives for the hearing

14 April 2012

A defiant Sir Alex Ferguson today said he will play Rio Ferdinand against Tottenham on Sunday regardless of the result of the player's disciplinary hearing into his missed drugs test.

Should the outcome of today's case go against Ferdinand, he and Manchester United have 14 days to appeal and Ferguson will use that loophole to select the £30million defender.

Ferdinand has missed the last two days of training to attend the hearing at Bolton's Reebok Stadium.

Today, Ferguson was the star witness on day two of the hearing and a verdict is expected by tonight. The worst case scenario for United would see Ferdinand given a lengthy ban.

"I am pencilling him in to play," said Ferguson, who arrived at the hearing at 11.40am smiling and looking relaxed. "It isn't ideal preparation but hopefully he has the temperament to handle it.

"He's not had any training today or yesterday. That's the only concern but he will have a good session tomorrow and hopefully he's okay for Sunday."

Ferdinand is fighting the charge of 'failure or refusal to submit a drugs test' on 23 September.

The United boss was part of a formidable list of witnesses seen by the three-man commission today as Ferdinand's legal team mounted a spirited defence.

United club doctor Mike Stone and Manchester City's Eyal Berkovic were also at The Reebok to give evidence. Nicky Butt arrived at the hearing at midday as he was one of the other United players chosen for a drugs sample alongside Ferdinand. Butt did oblige but Ferdinand's team believe his evidence may throw doubt on testing procedures.

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Fergie: Rio will play

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