Neville sets first team target

Gary Neville says he’s itching to return to the first-team squad after almost 12 months out of action.

United’s club captain played 70 minutes for the Reserves on Wednesday night and now has his sights firmly set on rejoining the race for the Barclays Premier League title.

“It’s great to be playing football again,” Neville told MUTV. “That’s my second game in a couple of weeks and I seem to have come through it okay. In that sense it’s a real positive, although I want to get back into travelling with the first team.

“By next week I’d like to be involved with the first team, even if’s just travelling with the side and being part of it again.”

Neville was injured last March against Bolton Wanderers and has since suffered a number of setbacks on the road to recovery.

“Hopefully I’ve seen the back of it now,” Neville said. “I just need to concentrate on training hard and playing well. It’s been a frustrating period and a very long time – too long. No footballer likes not playing but I’m not the first footballer to be out for 12 months. You just have to get on with it.

“Playing with the Reserves is really exciting for me. Just being out on the pitch and on the training ground… I love doing that.”