Wayne Rooney is set to make his Manchester United return in Lisbon on Wednesday night after he made Sir Alex Ferguson's squad for the Champions League encounter with Sporting.

The United striker has been missing since fracturing his foot on the opening day of the season against Reading and has been pestering Ferguson to play ever since.

After missing out on Saturday's win at Everton, it seems Rooney will now get his wish as the Red Devils look to go one better than last season's semi-finals spot.

There was less good news over Owen Hargreaves.

As expected, the midfielder has failed to return from a thigh strain and will remain in Manchester to try and get himself fit in time to face Chelsea on Sunday.

Hargreaves joins a long list of injuries for United.

Park Ji-Sung and Ben Foster were already out with long-term knee problems, John O'Shea and Darren Fletcher picked up knee injuries on international duty last week, skipper Gary Neville is still short of full fitness after a calf strain and Mikael Silvestre is out for the season after rupturing cruciate ligaments at Goodison Park on Saturday.

That means Ferguson will probably pack his bench with youngsters, although Carlos Tevez, Anderson and former Sporting player Nani will get their first taste of Champions League combat with the Red Devils.