Is It Time for the Wiley Old Foxes to Step Down?

Ahead of the Carling Cup tie at home to Queens Park Rangers Tuesday evening, it is interesting to consider the side that Sir Alex Ferguson will employ against the lively Championship outfit.

Against Middlesbrough he introduced Ben Amos, Rafael Da Silva and Rodrigo Possebon into first team duties and tonight United fans will expect more of the same as Da Silva and co. should return against Gareth Ainsworth's men.

The debate is however whether these players are youth team players, or slowly starting to become first team players, being molded as the next batch of players to dominate the side for the next few years.

It's clear that Rafael, in particular, is being prepped for the right-back role, ahead of Wes Brown, who has certainly done nothing to deserve being dropped and Gary Neville whose horrendous injury run has caught up with him on and off the pitch.

He isn't the only one who is slowly being edged out. Ryan Giggs has played less than ever this season, with only four starts and still yet to score in what is his 17th season in the Premier League.

Paul Scholes picked up an unfortunate injury earlier in the season, which will force him out til next year. Even then it will take a few weeks for the little midfielder to regain his full fitness at his tender age.

These three players have been with United since the very start of their dominance, Giggs since before the Premier league even began, Scholes and Neville were introduced in 1995 as part of the new stream of player brought in off the back of the Youth Cup win of '92.

But now it seems that these players have had their time. With Neville now having two players in front of him for the right-back role Scholes has to now compete with a resurgent Darren Fletcher among others, who looks like he could directly replace Scholes in every respect.

For Giggs, there doesn't seem like a natural replacement just yet. Nani is still growing up but it seems clear he needs games to gain more confidence to take hold of games. Park Ji-Sung looks like he could take on the role, after finally settling in at United, maybe Ferguson will give him a run in the side that he finally deserves.

For me this trio aren't necessarily past it, they are just surplus to retirements in some respect. They aren't being forced out, players are just eclipsing them. The last thing these three want at the end of their career is become a passenger in a talented side, and given three minutes at the end of each game as a token gesture, just like David Beckham is now given in the England team.

These three have given such good service for the club they deserve this last year to see out there time their, but they don't want to become dead wood by staying at their beloved club for longer than tether will allow them.