Michael Carrick could return to first-team duties for Manchester United against former club West Ham United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Carrick has been restricted to just 70 minutes' senior action this term as he battled to overcome an ankle problem but after returning to training last week, is expected to come into consideration.

Carlos Tevez is also due to a recall, with one of Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo expected to be rested for the Barclays Premier League match.

calf injury Carlton Cole is suspended for West Ham after being sent off against Arsenal at the weekend. Manager Gianfranco Zola is also without long-term injury victim Dean Ashton while new arrival Diego Tristan is not expected to be match fit in time.

In midfield, Mark Noble is out with a calf injury but Matthew Etherington could come back into the side after spending the Arsenal match on the bench.

squads Manchester United: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Brown, Neville, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, O'Shea, Carrick, Ronaldo, Park, Fletcher, Anderson, Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez.

West Ham: Green, Faubert, Neill, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Di Michele, Bellamy, Etherington, Sears, Lastuvka, Lopez, Boa Morte, Mullins, Davenport, Bowyer, Collins.