Giggs set for rapid return

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson expects in-form winger Ryan Giggs to be back in action in a fortnight following a hamstring injury.

Reports had suggested Giggs would be sidelined for six weeks with the injury he sustained in Tuesday's goalless Premier League draw with Tottenham.

"It's not going to be six weeks as has been reported in the Press. He should be back in two weeks," Ferguson told a news conference on Friday.

"No-one from Old Trafford ever predicted that kind of thing. We know the situation with Ryan. He gets these from time to and we have handled it really well in the past couple of years and the time factor in his recovery is now much better."

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Giggs should return for their Premier League game at Arsenal on February 1, and could also face Chelsea in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final six days earlier.

Ferguson also expects striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to return on schedule from an Achilles tendon injury, which has kept the Dutch international out since the end of November.

Van Nistelrooy is undergoing a programme of rehabilitation, dividing his time between Old Trafford and the Netherlands as he works towards being fit for the resumption of United's Champions League campaign on February 23.

"He's got every chance of being ready for the AC Milan game and we expect him to be ready for that game," Ferguson said.

FA Cup holders United start the defence of the trophy at home to Conference side Exeter City in the third round on Saturday with Tim Howard set to replace Roy Carroll in goal.

Ferguson has played Howard in domestic cup games this season and is likely to stick with that policy against Exeter and in the League Cup against Chelsea on Wednesday.

Wes Brown also returns in a young United side, with John O'Shea, Quinton Fortune and Louis Saha likely to make their comebacks from injury at Stamford Bridge.

Exeter have been a Non-League club since 2003 but Ferguson insists he will not take victory for granted.

"Unless you play with great urgency, determination and complete focus on the game, you can have upsets," he said.

"We have everything to lose but by the same token we are under that kind of pressure every week. We will not be complacent. We will be playing with great determination.

"There will be 67,000 people inside Old Trafford so it will be a fantastic day for Exeter, but also a big day for us."