Valencia needs one more Man Utd appearance for winners medal

Sir Alex Ferguson must give Antonio Valencia action in their remaining two games for the winger to be handed a league winner's medal.

The Telegraph says Valencia has made just nine appearances this season after missing six months following the horrific ankle injury he suffered in the Champions League group stage game with Rangers in October, meaning he is one short of the 10 required to be assured of a medal.

Michael Owen, despite starting only one game and admitting on his twitter feed that he "does not deserve one as much as half the team", has played enough to be awarded a medal, by virtue of his nine substitute appearances.

Wes Brown and Gabriel Obertan, both of whom have started more games than the former England international, will not record the requisite number of appearances but United do have the option to apply for both to be awarded medals, as well as Gary Neville, whose retirement came after just three Premier League appearances.

It is believed that the club are unlikely to ask for any of those three players to be given medals unless either Brown or Obertan, both on seven, feature against both Blackburn and Blackpool, though they may appeal — as is traditional — on behalf of Tomasz Kuzszcak, the substitute goalkeeper, who has played just four times but has been a virtual ever-present on United’s bench.