Gary Neville is set to start tomorrow's Club World Cup semi-final against Gamba Osaka tomorrow, while Wes Brown is not far off a return to training after undergoing ankle surgery last month.

Ferguson is convinced both men could be regulars under new England boss Fabio Capello.

The Italian has picked Brown for seven of his 10 games in charge during 2008 but Neville has yet to appear under Steve McClaren's successor having been plagued by various injuries since winning the last of his 85 caps against Spain at Old Trafford two years ago.

But a problem for the pair has emerged in the form of teenage starlet Rafael Da Silva.

The Brazilian full-back has made such an impression during his first full season at Old Trafford that he has now supplanted the duo as Ferguson's number one number two.

And Ferguson accepts Capello may be forced to look elsewhere as he can no longer guarantee Brown and Neville will get the exposure they need to impress the England boss.

"Gary Neville and Wes Brown are England's best right full-backs," said Ferguson.

"I would not have any fear about picking them because I know them.

"But Fabio does not know them as well as I do, which makes it difficult because if they are not getting a regular game for us, it is hard for him to pick them."

In being so honest about the present situation, Ferguson inadvertently raised doubts over whether Neville and Brown, both United men to the core, can continue to hang around as understudy to an 18-year-old.

While Neville, who has been linked with a move to Everton where he would join brother Phil, may feel, at 33, he was about to reach a stage in his career where he cannot play every game anyway, Brown, who is supposed to be in his prime, may have other ideas.

Although he only signed a contract extension late last season, when he won Premier League and Champions League winners' medals after excelling as Neville's deputy, the Longsight-born star will want more football than he looks set to be given thanks to Rafael's dynamic form, so his return to action may be the prelude to a move away from Old Trafford.

"Gary and Wes have a little problem because this young boy Rafael has really taken off," said Ferguson.

"All the players, Gary included, are so supportive of him. They think he is fantastic.

"It is rare for someone to come through like he has done. When Gary did it, he had help. He was amongst six or seven young players all together, like a band of brothers.

"This lad doesn't speak the language that well but he understands the football very well."

With Neville given his chance tomorrow, it would probably be Rafael who returned for Sunday's final should United advance.

Ferguson does have one absentee in £30.75million record signing Dimitar Berbatov, who has been laid low by a virus powerful enough to keep him in bed for virtually the entire trip so far.

It means Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney, who is expected to recover from a minor knock in time to play, should be paired up front as the Red Devils look to become the first English team to win the competition in its newly expanded format.

Ferguson would not confirm his full starting line-up. However, he did state Paul Scholes would start for the first time since undergoing knee surgery at the end of September.

In addition, United's legion of Japanese fans, some of whom have maintained a constant presence outside their team hotel despite the inclement conditions, have been promised Cristiano Ronaldo will start.

Meanwhile, Ferguson has confirmed Ben Foster is already back in light training after breaking a finger last week.

Foster was ruled out of the Japan trip after suffering the injury - the latest in a series of setbacks for the England international - last Thursday.

However, the damage is not too serious and Foster should be back in full training by the time United return home next Monday.