Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney to return to action against West Ham

Wayne Rooney will make his return for Manchester United in the FA Cup against West Ham tomorrow after recovering from a knee injury.

The England striker will play his first game this year while Portuguese winger Nani is also expected to face Sam Allardyce’s team after not figuring since early November.

However, Ashley Young and Nemanja Vidic will not play after picking up injuries in the weekend win at home to Liverpool in the Barclays Premier League.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said today: 'Young has got a dull knock, a little bit of strain on the knee. It’s nothing serious.

'I think he will be back next week. Maybe not for Tottenham but the week after he should be okay.

'Vidic's knee is okay. He has trained and is good. He had a little bit of concussion.'

The news of Vidic is particularly welcome given he has had two operations already on the knee he ruptured cruciate ligaments in during the Champions League defeat to Basle in December 2011.

It was unlikely the Serbian would have been selected to face the Hammers anyway, with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling set to be partnered together in central defence as Jonny Evans continues to rest his hamstring strain.

However, Wayne Rooney is expected to play for the first time since he suffered a minor knee injury during training on Christmas Day.

Nani should also be involved after missing 15 games with the hamstring injury he sustained against Braga at the beginning of November.

Provisional squad: Lindegaard, De Gea, Amos, Smalling, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Evra, Cleverley, Giggs, Fletcher, Anderson, Scholes, Carrick, Kagawa, Nani, Hernandez, Rooney, Welbeck, Van Persie.