Ronaldo's bold prediction while Gary Neville is set to return...

We are not yet out of October and already Cristiano Ronaldo is predicting that United will retain the Premier League title and that the reds will go on to become the Champions of Europe for the third time. There's no doubting that United could go on to fulfil both predictions, but in order to do so Fergie will need a fair bit of luck in avoiding injuries to key players.

It wasn't so long ago that the Reds were deprived of all of their first-choice central defenders due to injury. Saha is another who seems to be almost permanently on the treatment table.

Those will elephant like memories will no doubt be able to recall former United striker 'Pancho Pearson' who always seemed to sustain hamstring injuries - though it's doubtful that Saha will ever be a massive fans favourite as the former Reds number nine was back in Tommy Doc's days as United manager. We will settle for the Frenchman being fit and available for the remainder of the campaign, because make no mistake we will need him.

On the subject of forwards, I mentioned earlier on in the week that Fergie must be planning to sign a new striker, not least because Ole has had to sadly call it a day. Anelka's name keeps on cropping up in reports, but with Bolton in such a dire state, it makes you wonder if they'd allow him to leave in January. There is of course the added problem that whoever Fergie signs will have to be available for the Champions League, Anelka has played in Europe this season already and wouldn't that make him cup-tied?

How about pushing out the boat by making Sunderland an offer that the Black-Cats cannot refuse for Kenwyne Jones? He is the nearest thing that I've seen to Drogba. His powerful style would give United a different option to the subtle inter-play that we're currently enjoying between Rooney and Tevez.

It's doubtful that Sunderland would allow the Trinidad and Tobago star to leave under any circumstances, given that he alone will more or less guarantee the club's safety in the top flight. Make no mistake though, Jones is going to be very hot property and so it is only a matter of time before stories linking him to the big four clubs start to make the back pages. Don't rule out United trying to broker some sort of player plus cash deal. Keane remains a big fan of young Reds defender Jonny Evans and there's talk of him going back on loan to Sunderland, United also have fringe midfield players like Fletcher and so just maybe there's a deal to be done for Jones.

Regarding Ronaldo's bold prediction, Owen Hargreaves is another key player and if he can keep fit, he could quickly form an excellent central midfield partnership with the hugely impressive Anderson in the Red Devils engine-room. United currently have Park and Scholes out injured and the latter is still obviously a hugely influential star, but of course the injury to the 'Ginger Prince' has given opportunities to Anderson and the returning Hargreaves to gel to together - so it isn't all bad.

Meanwhile there's some great news to report on our very own 'shop steward' one Gary Neville who has been out injured since last season. Despite Gary being out for so long, no other United player has laid claim to his place in the team, but Wes Brown has been doing an excellent job of late, so it looks like Neville's right-back slot is still very much his own if he can stay fit.

Kenwyne Jones to save Keano's bacon...

Rookie Sunderland manager and Reds legend Roy Keane eventually went on to spend an eye-watering £32m in the summer transfer window and until he pinched Trinidadian star Kenwyne Jones from Southampton, it looked for all the world that the Black Cats were going to be pretty much down among the Premier League dead-men as the season went on.

You wouldn't normally use the term 'pinched' given that Keane had spent £6m on a striker from the Championship, but the impact Jones has made in short order has been nothing short of spectacular and comparisons with Didier Drogba are now being made. It is a fair comparison too.

Jones is big, strong, immense in the air and he looks like the real deal. So much so that when and not if, Sunderland are asked about his availability the asking price will be at least triple what the Black Cats shelled out to buy him. Providing Jones avoids injury, he alone will virtually guarantee Sunderland's place in the big league this season - because without him, they will struggle in front of goal.

Questions about Keane's apparent transformation from the player that was at times the Devil incarnate to Father Ted are being asked - exactly what has brought about this transformation? On Sunday against the Hammers we were given a rather large clue. Keane's team didn't get what they deserved against West Ham, they ended up on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline, all the while the Irishman remained a picture of calmness apart from the roll of his shark-like dead eyes when the home team scored after his back four didn't clear their lines. But on the upside Keano knows that he's unearthed a real gem in Jones who once again scored a majestic goal and that is why he can knowingly take defeat on his grey chin. Sunderland will be ok this season, they will stay up largely, thanks to the big man up front.

I'd like to see Jones end up at United where once we had the pleasure of watching another star from Trinidad, one Dwight Yorke. Happy days.