Owen eyes first-team return

Midfielder happy to be back after playing for the reserves

Last updated: 19th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Owen eyes first-team return

Hargreaves: Happy to be back

I'm not coming back just to be back, I want to come back and have just as much of an impact as I did in my first season.

Owen Hargreaves
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Owen Hargreaves is hoping to play a part in Manchester United's run-in after making his comeback from a long-term knee injury in the reserves.

The midfielder has not played a first-team game for United since September 2008 and has encountered several setbacks en route to a return to action.

The England international was originally predicted to be back last autumn, but finally pulled on a United shirt again when playing 45 minutes for the reserves against Burnley on Thursday night.

Hargreaves was happy to be back on a pitch again and is optimistic he can build up his fitness in time to play a role in the Red Devils' quest for Premier League and UEFA Champions League glory.

Lovely to be back

"I would like to think so, absolutely," Hargreaves told MUTV when asked if playing first-team football before the end of the season is a possibility. "That's what I'm aiming for.

"I'm not coming back just to be back, I want to come back and have just as much of an impact as I did in my first season.

"It means a lot to me, so those are my targets and it will happen when time's ready.

"It was lovely to be back in a team environment. It's been about 16 months, I think, while I've been having surgery and individual rehab, so having team-mates around you, getting used to playing on a bigger pitch and having opponents was great.

"It's been a very long time and it was great to do that first step. Hopefully I can kick on from here."

The former Bayern Munich star also reiterated his hope that he can be involved in England's World Cup campaign in South Africa in the summer.

He added: "A lot of people talk about it and it's obviously a topic. You know... we'll just see. I just have to take it day by day.

"In a perfect world, obviously I'd love to be a part, but I have to do what's best for me, best for Man Utd and then England. Then we'll see.

"Obviously it's something I would like to be able to do and I'll just see how I progress in the next month."