United stars will return at Bridge

Sir Alex Ferguson says he is confident Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ruud Van Nistelrooy will be fit for Sunday's crunch Premiership clash at title rivals Chelsea despite all missing last night's 1-0 win over Panathinaikos.

Captain Keane remained in Manchester to have intensive treatment on a strained hamstring. Neville has a similar worry and Van Nistelrooy has a back problem.

The United manager said: "Gary Neville hasn't trained because he was feeling a hamstring and it wouldn't have been wise to play him against Panathinaikos. Ruud hurt his back in training and while he could have played, there was no point risking him. I wasn't prepared to risk anyone with an injury."

Ferguson said he believed both men, plus Keane and defensive duo Rio Ferdinand and Mikael Silvestre - who both took heavy knocks in the second half in Greece - would be fit to face Chelsea .

United still comfortably moved into the knockout phase of the Champions League as Diego Forlan rifled home an 85th-minute winner - his fifth goal in six starts.

Ferguson added: "It wasn't a great performance but we didn't make any big mistakes,which could have encouraged Panathinaikos.