Welbeck: Team most important

Danny Welbeck insists Manchester United's league position is the most important thing after enduring a stop-start personal campaign this term.

The 22-year-old has only been a bit-part player for Sir Alex Ferguson this season following Robin van Persie's arrival at Old Trafford.

Despite just one goal for the Red Devils this term, the England forward refuses to get down-hearted with United sitting seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.

He told the Sunday Mirror: "It's been a bit stop-start. I've not been playing in my favoured-position up front - I've been on the wing in most games - so it's been different to last season, when I played mostly as a striker.

"But we're in a great league position, which is the most important thing."

Despite not being a regular in the team, Welbeck is using his time on the training pitch to his benefit.

He added: "This is the best club in the world and I pick up great experience training with the other strikers."

Ferguson praises Van Persie

Sir Alex Ferguson paid tribute to Robin van Persie after he sealed Manchester United's nervy 2-0 win over West Brom with his 17th goal of the season.

Van Persie was left on the bench at the start of the game but Ferguson called on him 25 minutes from time, with the visitors beginning to threaten.

He went on to score in the final minute, revealing a message on his shirt that read "RIP Tchuna, we will never forget you," relating to the death of a close friend of the Dutchman on Friday night.

"He is a fantastic player," said Ferguson. "He came on and changed the game for us. Every time the ball came up to him he got hold of it and turned on them.

"They were having to go back to their box all the time and he has done well.

"They were a very resilient, stubborn team. They worked really hard on their defending and closed all their ranks. You have to deal with that but the slowness of the pitch killed our speed a bit."

United head to Wigan on New Year's Day and Ferguson expects to rotate his squad again, adding: "It will be a hard game.

"Hopefully we can freshen up again. Possibly Phil Jones will be ready and Rafael will be ready. We rested Javier Hernandez, and also Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, so we have enough freshness to bring in."

Wright: I can see Walcott joining United.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright can see Theo Walcott moving to Manchester United .

United, Chelsea and Liverpool are all chasing the England ace.

Wright told Absolute Radio: It would be a major loss, because I think that when you look at Theo for me single-handedly against Reading he brought them back into the game and I feel that if Theo was playing last night, whatever people want to say about him I think he would have done something in the game. I feel that if Manchester United are genuinely in for Theo, which I think £8 million if it was...

"Yeah, for £8 million I could see Manchester United. Manchester United could take Michael Owen and put him on the bench all be it for free and that, because of what he could do. Then Theo Walcott with his pace, with his ability, with the fact that he’s got a thick skin Theo, he could take stick. I think that if Manchester United are in that’s it he’s gone."

Fergie: Time will tell on Vidic.

Sir Alex Ferguson admits doubts will remain over Nemanja Vidic's fitness until the Manchester United defender proves he has fully recovered.

The Serbian is on the comeback trail after two lots of knee surgery.

Vidic has played just 13 times since injuring his calf in the opening Premier League game of last season at West Brom.

After spending two months on the sidelines, Vidic was only eight games into his comeback when he ruptured his cruciate ligaments during a Champions League game in Basle that ended his entire campaign.

The 31-year-old resisted the temptation to rush back earlier than expected so he would be fully recovered in time for pre-season.

However, just five games in, he reported discomfort in his knee which condemned Vidic to undergo more surgery.

Now the Serbian is back for tomorrow's Premier League encounter with Sunderland.

But, recalling the nightmare Gary Neville had after having his ankle broken against Bolton in 2007, Ferguson accepts Vidic's fitness cannot be taken for granted just yet.

"Getting an injury is an issue for players going into their late 20s and early 30s because they start to wonder how many years they've got left," said Ferguson.

"For instance, Gary Neville was 32 when he got his injury and he never really recovered from it.

"He had recurring injuries - it was his calf, then it was his groin, then it was his hamstring, his ankle, it was just a catalogue of injury after injury simply because at that age recovery is a bit more difficult."

Ferguson has yet to decide whether Vidic will start against Sunderland tomorrow.

However, with the Christmas campaign looming, there are lots of matches for the defender to get involved in.

And Ferguson has no doubt the former Red Star Belgrade man can make a positive contribution.

"We hope we've given him the proper rehabilitation," said Ferguson.

"He's not had a lot of football so it is an issue, but we're hoping he sails through.

"There will be opportunities for him because he brings that great experience, that warrior type of defending he's for.

"I don't know whether I will start him tomorrow but at least we have him back and given the number of injuries we've had to defenders over the last two or three years, it's a bonus for us."

Giggs: City are new Arsenal

Ryan Giggs has compared United’s current rivalry with City to that formerly shared with Arsenal, citing the recently intensified Manchester derby as reason.

From 1997 to 2004, the Reds consistently battled the Gunners for the Premier League title and meetings between the pair were often highly-charged, competitive affairs that weren’t for the faint-hearted.

Just days after a similarly ferocious match at the Etihad Stadium, Giggs cannot help but compare clashes with the Blues to those of yesteryear against Arsene Wenger’s team.

“We had so many battles with Arsenal that were skilful games, but also physically tough, and I felt the game was like that on Sunday,” Ryan told Red Voices, ManUtd.com’s exclusive podcast. 

“It is two very good teams with the added spice that it’s a local derby. Over the last three years, each Manchester derby has intensified. The build-up is longer, people start talking about it earlier and the feeling when you win is even better.

“It was two quality sides, both in good form and going head to head at the top of the league. We took the first half and then City came back into life like we expected, but I thought we still looked dangerous and had goals in us during the second half. At 2-2, with City coming back into it, most people would’ve settled for a draw, but we score late goals so often and there is no better feeling, especially in such a big game.”

Rooney: I did not doubt van Persie.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney hailed teammate Robin van Persie after victory at Manchester City. 

Two-goal Rooney paid tribute to Van Persie for his free-kick winner. 

He said: “It was a difficult angle but Robin has that ability and we work on that in training. 

“I had no doubt he could score from there and it won us the game. It’s great to score here and to win the game. 

“They’ve had a great home record and to spoil that is a great feeling. 

“It was crazy. We were hanging on at the end and they had a couple of chances. 

“A bit of magic got us the three points.”

Evra: PSG will have to kill Fergie before I could join them.

Evra is being linked with a £5 million January move to Paris. 

"There is no contact with Evra," PSG coach Ancelotti said at a press conference, "these reports do not correspond to the facts. We plan no changes for the defence." 

Meanwhile, Evra laughed: "You're not seriously asking me that question (laughs). I still have a year on my contract, I am the captain of Manchester United, it is not nothing. I'm Parisian, it's nice, but they will have to kill Ferguson before I came to Paris. There is nothing to be done, but Paris is still good. "

Usain Bolt's derby tweets

Manchester United celebrity fan Usain Bolt hailed their derby win over Manchester City. 

The derby lived up to the hype with United edging the thriller 3-2. 

Bolt tweeted: "Blood..Sweat..Determination...True Champions.. Great win @WayneRooney @rioferdy5"

United captain hails RVP's hunger

Manchester United captain Patrice Evra has hailed the impact of Robin van Persie since his arrival from Arsenal. 

With 14 goals to his name already, Sir Alex Ferguson's judgement has already been proved sound, but it was at Southampton in August, in the aftermath of a 3-2 win in which Van Persie had scored a hat-trick, that Evra discovered the forward's stamp of class. 

"Robin is perfect for Manchester United," Evra told TalkSPORT. "When he scored the hat-trick at Southampton he also missed a penalty. 

"The first thing he said when he came back to the dressing room was that he was really sorry for missing the penalty. That shows the hunger, humility and personality he has to win trophies. 

"He is not just scoring for himself. He really wants the team to win something."