With Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand all out of the starting line-up which faced Birmingham on Sunday, John O’Shea was chosen as captain.

O’Shea says he will always cherish being named captain for our first game of the campaign but knows he will have to work hard to get in the starting team this season.

“It is a huge honour to captain Manchester United,” he said. “It is nice to do it in pre-season but to be captain for the first game of a new season is something I will always cherish.”

O’Shea knows that whilst he is likely to get lots of games this season, there are very few players who are guaranteed a spot in the starting line-up.

“Manchester United have such a big squad, you know there will be times when you are not playing,” he added. “There are probably only a handful of lads who know, if they are fit, they will play. Even halfway down the Premier League, competition is fierce. Most squads have 11 or 12 internationals so you just have to cope with it the best way you can.”