Nicholls turns to Fergie as Thomas doubts grow

Sir Alex Ferguson will be without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo when his Manchester United team take on Blackburn in the Carling Cup on Wednesday but the Portuguese could still be the subject of debate today when the Scot fields a call from champion National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls.

Nicholls plans to ask Ferguson if he has any advice to offer over the form of Sam Thomas who has been beset by a series of unfortunate incidents since filling in for the injured Ruby Walsh over the past fortnight.

Thomas has been unseated at the final fence in the big race on each of the past two Saturdays and Nicholls is delaying a decision on whether the Welshman will ride Master Minded, the highest-rated chaser in Britain, in Saturday's Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Nicholls, who trains horses for Ferguson, told today's Racing Post: "I'm in the same position as a football manager with an out-of-form striker, so I'm going to ring up Fergie to get his thoughts.

"I want to know what he would do if Cristiano Ronaldo was having a spell where he kept hitting the crossbar and missing penalties.

"I have to work out the best way for Sam to start scoring goals again. I have no doubt we'll get him back to his best — it's just a case of working out the best way of doing that."