Manchester United’s squad of 25 for the UEFA Champions League group stages had one surprising inclusion and one surprising exclusion when it was named earlier this week.

High-profile Portuguese summer signing Bebe, who has been the focus of more attention than any other recent Old Trafford arrival, was named in the 25.

However, England international midfielder Owen Hargreaves was omitted, as he continues to struggle to recover from long-term injury.

On the pitch, the Red Devils clicked into gear with an impressive 3-0 win over strugglers West Ham United before the international break.

 

But the club have failed to sell all their season-tickets for the first time in many years, partly – it is claimed – thanks to United supporters’ continuing protest at the ownership of the Glazer family.

A fortnight ago, the 20-year-old Bebe was left out of the club’s reserve squad due to serious concerns about his fitness, which appear to have been alleviated.

Stories still circulate, however, that Bebe could have been bought for considerably less than the £7.5m expended by United. His former agent Goncalo Reis claimed that Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven were offered the youngster for free in May.

Hargreaves made a fleeting return to United’s first team last May. But he suffered further injury setbacks in the summer months, although he has been named, alongside Bebe, in United’s 25-man EPL squad.

There was better news on the injury front for the former EPL champions as centre-back Rio Ferdinand made his playing comeback for United’s reserves last week.

Ferdinand had not kicked a ball in anger since damaging his knee immediately before England’s ill-fated World Cup campaign in June.

He club had said before the start of the season that it would be another “five weeks” before Ferdinand would be back in first-team action, and that forecast has proved accurate according to reserves’ boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Solskjaer said Ferdinand was “available for selection” after he came through 45 minutes of a 2-1 win against Oldham reserves last week, adding: “He has got through an important 45 minutes. I am not sure he needs any more games. He is a naturally fit lad.”

There was double delight for United as Brazilian midfielder Anderson lasted 90 minutes on his return from a cruciate ligament operation.

United season-ticket sales were over 2,000 short of their publicly declared target of 54,000, and over 12,000 down on sales two years ago.

Chief Executive David Gill said: “We’ve sold more season tickets than the capacity of most (EPL) grounds.”

But Supporters Trust chairman Duncan Drasdo said: “The failure to sell out” showed “huge dissatisfaction at the way the Glazers have exploited the supporters and the football club.”

United visit Everton this Saturday lunchtime amid heightened security, as Wayne Rooney returns to his former club after lurid tabloid headlines about his personal life.

Former team-mate, and current England colleague, Phil Jagielka said “there was a good chance” Rooney would receive more stick than usual from Evertonians still bitter at his move to Manchester.