Neville niggles and Brown snub causes a crisis at United

As United prepare to face Derby County at Old Trafford today, it has emerged that Neville is still weeks away from a comeback and that Brown — in the last year of his contract — has rejected a new deal with the Barclays Premier League champions.

Neville, who has not played since March,was due to make his return in the Champions League dead rubber in Rome next week, but last night Ferguson said: 'I won't be taking Gary Neville to Rome. He has unfortunately had another setback and we are disappointed at that.

'It's his ankle again, so he has gone back to the specialist for another look at it, so you can't be positive on that one at all.

'It's not a serious thing that has happened, but it's a setback and it's a niggle again.

'When you have had a bad injury and been operated on, which Gary was six or seven months ago, and you are still not back, then it is a concern.

'He keeps getting these little setbacks every time that he is ready to play, so it's a disappointment and hopefully we can sort it out and get him back.

'We are positive we will get him back, but the problem, and worry, we have is that he keeps getting niggly injuries.'

United stalwart Brown has stood in well for Neville so far this season but has been unimpressed with the deal offered to him by the Old Trafford club and there would now appear to be a dangerous stalemate developing.

Ferguson added: 'Wes hasn't agreed anything. That is entirely up to Wes, but we have made him a good offer and it really now is up to himself.

'It's a possibility that we might lose him. It's disappointing.'