Determined defender back in the team and back in the points

A string of long term injuries have kept Gary Neville out of action for most of the past three years.

The Manchester United captain sat out the whole of the 2007/08 season and played just 13 times in the league last term.

The 35-year-old was stuck on the sidelines at the start of this campaign too and was expected to finish his illustrious Old Trafford career in the summer.

However a reversal of fortunes has given the outspoken veteran, who's won nine Premier League titles, a second chance and he's grabbed it with both hands.

Injuries to first choice duo John O'Shea and Wes Brown, combined with a bout of second season syndrome for youngster Rafael, has ushered Neville back into the first team.

Manchester United's second longest serving current player, behind Ryan Giggs, has started four of the title challengers' last six games.

His resurgence has coincided with a three game clean sheet streak and the passionate right-back will be keen to extend that record against bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

United struggled with injuries across the whole of the defence in the first half of the season and have been boosted by the simultaneous return to three key stalwarts.

Sir Alex Ferguson is now able to name Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand together in the same team and they, along with Neville, provide an experienced platform on which to build his bid for a fourth straight Premier League crown.

Neville may not have the pace of his younger days, but he is just as eager to dart forward and is still able to deliver a telling cross from the right hand side so may even get some assists before the curtain closes on the season, and possibly his career.

His recent determined displays, including a vintage performance against AC Milan in the Champions League, have even started people talking about a possible England recall ahead of the World Cup.

Neville has 86 England caps to his name and his historical Fantasy League statistics are just as impressive.

His best ever season was in 1997/98 when he bagged 50 points and before this season he'd collected a total of 396 points from 347 games.

The one-club-man has 16 points so far this season, from only nine games, and won't want to stop keeping clean sheets just yet.