Van der Sar set for Manchester United comeback

Van der Sar's wife has suffered health problems (GETTY IMAGES)

Edwin van der Sar could make his Manchester United comeback against Burnley tomorrow.

The veteran Dutchman has not played for the Red Devils since mid-November when he injured a knee against Everton.

Since then, his wife Annemarie suffered a stroke just before Christmas.

However, she has now recovered and, after spending this week in Qatar with his team-mates during the warm weather training camp, the 39-year-old is on contention to face Burnley at Old Trafford.

"Edwin has come back to training and has done very well," said manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

"He has been out for a few weeks and it is great to see him back. He will give us so much experience when he eventually does come back, which is important to us."

Ferguson will have a chat with Van der Sar before deciding on his line-up for tomorrow's game.

However, it seems inevitable given United's struggles at the back recently that the former Holland skipper will be recalled in favour of Tomasz Kuszczak.

"It depends how Edwin feels but he has been training very well," said the Red Devils chief.

Ferguson also confirmed long-term absentees Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves continued to make progress in Qatar last week.

"They both took part in some work and Rio in particular is not too far away now," he said.

Meanwhile, record signing Dimitar Berbatov is resisting having an exploratory operation on a lingering knee problem, with Ferguson hoping surgery can be delayed until the end of the season.

"Dimitar doesn't want an operation," said Ferguson.

"Sometimes he feels the injury, other times he doesn't.

"It might have been the warmer climes but he didn't feel it at all in Qatar last week.

"We are just keeping an eye on it at present."