Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic rested for Rangers

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic will miss Manchester United's Champions League trip to Rangers. Although the central defensive duo trained at Carrington this morning, neither was part of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad for the match at Ibrox. With a Premier League meeting with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and a Carling Cup quarter-final at West Ham United next Tuesday, Ferguson has opted to give both men a rest, believing his squad are capable of gaining the point required to secure qualification for the knock-out phase without them. Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans, who has not featured since the Carling Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in October, are expected to deputise. Darren Fletcher also sits out the return to Scotland . Ryan Giggs took part in training and Wayne Rooney is expected to make his first start since the Premier League visit to Bolton Wanderers at the beginning of November.