The commanding centre-half has been sidelined since 19th September after being forced to undergo another knee operation.
Vidic is, however, hoping to put an injury-ravaged period of his Old Trafford career firmly behind him and rejoin United's quest to wrestle the Premier League crown back from arch-rivals Manchester City.
Sunday's derby date with City came too soon for the Serbia international, but he will come into contention for Saturday's home tie with Sunderland, and Ferguson is delighted to have his skipper back in the fold after seeing Jonny Evans limp out of action at the Etihad Stadium.
"It would have been crazy to play him against City but against Sunderland...definitely," said Ferguson.
"It's a big bonus to have him back. He is a real competitor with that uncompromising way of his. He likes defending - that's what it is.
"In the last 18 months he has only had 10 games or something. It is not many games that he has played.
"Now he has no pain in the knee, and it's a different knee to the one he did his cruciate on."
Santos coach Muricy Ramalho wants Neymar to opt for Barcelona whenever the Brazilian star leaves to play in Europe.
The 20-year-old, one of the hottest properties in world football, has been linked with moves to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Neymar recently played down the speculation and said the time was not yet right for him to leave Santos, where his contract will expire in 2014.
Now his club coach has aired his views, hoping that the forward will eventually choose Camp Nou as his destination.
"It would be amazing to see a Barcelona side with Neymar and Messi", Ramalho told La Xarxa radio.
"Barcelona is a very similar side to ours. The players like to pass the ball around. I think Neymar would be best suited to Barcelona. Real Madrid plays a different style of football.
"Neymar is destined for Europe after the World Cup. He must choose the club he goes to wisely.
"The best option for me is Barca. Messi is close to becoming the greatest of all time, but he is yet to win the World Cup. Only then will he be at the level of Pele and Maradona."
Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs says the proximity of home and away fans can make life difficult for players during goal celebrations as he defended his team following Sunday's derby victory at the Etihad Stadium.
There has been some criticism of United's players for the way they celebrated the winning goal in the weekend's Manchester derby, by gesticulating close to where many of the City fans were situated.
Following Robin van Persie's late winner, Rio Ferdinand was struck on the face by an object, while a home supporter ran on to the pitch to confront the experienced defender.
Giggs, who was on the substitute's bench during the entire 90 minutes, told the the club's official podcast: "First of all it's tough at City because their hardcore supporters are right next to our supporters.
"When they are so close together how can you determine whether you are just celebrating in front of United fans?
"When you score a goal like that you don't have control of yourself. As a player you want to celebrate.
"If you just scored a goal and walked back to the centre circle, United fans would want to know what's going on."
Ryan Giggs insists that Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney's importance to the side is about so much more than goals despite the forward's recent scoring streak.
Giggs highlighted that aspect of Rooney's game, praising his overall influence on the Premier League leaders and drawing comparisons with former United star Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Wayne is the kind of player who can score goals but if someone is scoring more, he's not too bothered," Giggs was quoted as saying in the Sun. "He's quite happy setting goals up and pitching in with important goals like he did on Sunday.
"It's like when Cristiano was here. He scored a lot of goals but, like Wayne, he's not just an out-and-out goalscorer. He's more than that.
"Wayne is the catalyst to everything good that we do. He can score goals, make goals."
Police investigating a racist tweet sent during Sunday's stormy Manchester derby have arrested a 15-year-old boy.
The teenager was held on Monday night on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and has been bailed pending further inquiries, Greater Manchester Police said.
An investigation was launched after a message was directed at a Manchester United player.
United and England defender Rio Ferdinand was left with a cut to his left eyebrow after being hit by a 2p coin while celebrating his team's last-gasp winning goal at the Etihad Stadium.
City fan Matthew Stott, 21, had to be restrained by goalkeeper Joe Hart as he tried to confront Ferdinand, and was arrested.
Police made nine arrests in all - with those men to appear in court in January - as tempers among rival fans boiled over and officers have appealed for anyone with information about hooligans throwing coins to get in touch.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson returns to New York next week.
The Mirror says Ferguson will spend next week in New York... raising the intriguing possibility of fresh talks with Pep Guardiola.
Manchester United boss Fergie will fly to the States after Saturday's game against Sunderland, to conduct business in the Big Apple relating to his role as the club's ambassador to the Americas.
Ferguson owns an apartment in the city - where his eldest son Mark lives with his young family - which makes him a neighbour of former Barcelona manager Guardiola, who is renting a property overlooking Central Park for a year.
The two men have already met up in New York in September, when it was reported they talked informally about the potential of an eventual handover of power at Old Trafford from Scot to Spaniard.
Guardiola has also been linked with Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea, yet it is the United position that has fascinated him longest.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is tipped for a busy January market.
The Mirror says Ferguson will briefly recharge his batteries Stateside, before returning to Manchester on the Friday to lead his club into the crucial festive programme and the even more important January transfer window.
Ferguson wants to offload Nani, with Juventus and Arsenal interested in the £20millon-rated winger.
He has also been strongly linked with a move for England star Theo Walcott, who could be sold when the window opens as the Gunners look to cash in before his contract expires.
The United chief has been keeping a close eye on Colombian winger James Rodriguez, who plays for Porto, and Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama.
Everton's Marouane Fellaini also remains on his long-term radar.
Manchester United legend Bryan Robson was impressed by Tom Cleverley's derby performance.
Robson wants Cleverley to build on that and take a firm grip of the Reds’ midfield.
“Yaya Toure can have a huge bearing on a big match as we’ve seen before, so it was vital for someone to look after him,” Robbo told the Manchester Evening News.
“I thought Tom and Michael Carrick combined brilliantly to quieten him and Gareth Barry.
“Tom gives you great energy levels and plays at a high tempo. That was needed in the derby and he never let up.
“He is always on the move, finding space and demanding the ball and gets into areas to receive it. That style is great for United. It suits our game.
“Being the central midfielder of two in a 4-4-2 is his best position. But what that does call for is someone who closes people down.
“Tom is very much a box-to-box player and he can do that job but I think it needs a bit of tweaking.
“He is strong going forward but if you want to be that dominant figure in a central two, you also have to be a decent defender.
“It is only nitpicking in a way but if you want to be the best then you have to improve on the little things all the time.
“It only needs a tiny bit of improvement but if he can work on it and he wants to be an out-and-out central midfielder then he can become a top, top player.”
Manchester United are keeping tabs on Mesut Ozil's situation at Real Madrid.
The Daily Express says Ozil has been admired by Sir Alex Ferguson, who is looking for a creative spark to succeed midfield maestro Paul Scholes when he retires.
United appear to be frontrunners for the Germany international, who has fallen out of favour at the Bernabeu.
But the latest news of a bust-up with Real’s boss Jose Mourinho, has fuelled further speculation that Ozil’s departure is imminent.
German paper kreiszeitung.de said that the spat dates back to a match between Real and Deportivo La Coruna.
They report that Mourinho scolded Ozil, in which he shouted: “With this performance, you are useless for Real Madrid.”
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