STAND-IN skipper Ryan Giggs is confident Manchester United can cope with their growing injury list.

With over half a dozen internationals already sidelined, including Gary Neville, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick and Louis Saha, the Red Ds suffered a double blow in the Ukraine this week, losing first Paul Scholes in training, then Patrice Evra in the warm-up prior to the 4-2 Champions League triumph over Dynamo Kiev.

Although there has been no official confirmation about the extent of the latest injuries, rumours were circulating around the Olympic Stadium that Scholes could be missing for a few weeks with a cartilage problem that may require an operation.

Sir Alex Ferguson and his team will desperately hope the speculation proves unfounded, particularly with a trip to table-topping Arsenal looming on November 3.

But Giggs feels the way United adapted to the additional losses last night bodes well for the future.

"There was no disruption," said the veteran Welshman.

"The manager has chopped and changed this season already, whether that be due to injuries, or suspensions or whatever and we have coped with it, just as we coped with what happened in Kiev.

"It just proves the value of having a good squad.

"I think a few players are due to come back shortly and once that happens, we will start to look strong again."

With Saha's fitness seemingly assessed on a game-by-game basis, Neville and Hargreaves are the nearest to making their comebacks.

Tussle

Hargreaves has a better than even chance of making the Arsenal game, although by then the former Bayern Munich man will not have featured for over two months, hardly the ideal preparation for such a titanic tussle.

Yet the steady improvement of Brazilian teenager Anderson offers United's support genuine cause for optimism.

After struggling badly in the early weeks of his United career, and having his entire Old Trafford future questioned in the wake of the Coventry defeat, the £17million summer arrival from FC Porto is improving by the game and turned in another effective performance alongside Darren Fletcher last night.

"It is important for the players who have come in to bed in as quickly as they can," said Giggs.

"All the signings have bedded in and played some good stuff and overall it is looking really good."

United's current run of form has ended any criticism of their attacking prowess.

A string of single-goal successes has now been consigned to the history books, with 12 goals from their last three games emphasising the lethal nature of their attack.

Tuesday night's romp was the first time United had scored four times in a European away game in nine years and, as Giggs recognised, it should have been more.

"To score four goals away from home against any team in Europe is fantastic," he said.

"But maybe it was a bit frustrating we didn't get more because we definitely had the chances. In the end, we just got a bit careless.

"The main thing is we are starting to put our opportunities away now, while retaining that defensive steel at the back.

"Over the last few years, our away form in Europe has not been the best but we are on a real run now and we want to carry it on in every competition." 

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