Cristiano Ronaldo set to play Spurs Friday, October 21, 2005
Ronaldo to play Spurs
Cristiano Ronaldo will get a chance to put a difficult week behind him against Tottenham on Saturday - just as Ryan Giggs begins his recovery from an operation on his fractured cheekbone.
Sir Alex Ferguson on Friday had no hesitation in naming Ronaldo in his injury-hit squad for the top-of-the-table Old Trafford clash even though the young Portugal international was arrested and questioned by police in connection with a rape allegation on Wednesday.
Coming only a month after the death of his father, this week's developments are hardly likely to do much for his mental state, even though he strenuously denies the accusations.
With seven senior stars injured, Ferguson is not in a position to consider leaving Ronaldo out even if he wanted to.
But the Manchester United boss insists he is happy to let the 20-year-old play.
"Obviously Cristiano has had a difficult time," admitted Ferguson.
"But he trained yesterday and trained again today and he will be okay."
The news of Giggs is less positive. It was confirmed on Thursday the Wales skipper will require surgery on the injury he sustained in an aerial clash with former Arsenal defender Stathis Tavlaridis during Tuesday's Champions League tie with Lille.
Giggs will have the operation today and is likely to be out for a minimum of six weeks, with Ferguson confirming the 31-year-old has suffered three separate breaks.
"It will have to be plated," said Ferguson.
Evidence
In September last year, two Premiership players were interviewed over an alleged gang rape at the Grosvenor House hotel in London.
The Crown Prosecution Service later decided there was insufficient evidence for them to be charged.
Also last year three Leicester City players faced allegations of sexually assaulting three women in a five-star hotel on a training camp in Spain.
They spent six nights in jail there but all charges against them were dropped.
In January last year, rape charges were dropped against ex-Chelsea player Jody Morris and a friend after they were accused of raping a woman in Leeds.
Arsenal's Dutch striker Robin van Persie was held in jail in Rotterdam earlier this year after being accused of rape. He was released after two weeks and maintains his innocence.
