Tim Howard might not have been too impressed when manager Sir Alex Ferguson decided to take him out of the Manchester United firing line - but the American goalkeeper acknowledges the move may earn him an FA Cup winners' medal.

Howard earned rave reviews for his early-season performances when Ferguson entrusted him with the Red Devils' number one slot following his '2.3million leap from Major Soccer League outfit New York Metrostars last summer.

The 25-year-old kept an impressive 10 clean sheets in his first 15 competitive appearances for United and at that stage seemed an automatic choice as goalkeeper of the year.

Instead, Howard suffered a mid-season crisis as a re-jigged United defence, lacking suspended England international Rio Ferdinand, dramatically collapsed, costing them any chance of retaining their Premiership title and ensuring an early exit from the Champions League.

Blamed

Howard was blamed for the last-gasp FC Porto goal that sent the Old Trafford side spinning out of Europe and was immediately left out of the league game that followed at Fulham.

The USA international soon returned but Ferguson opted to take decisive action after the 4-1 hiding at local rivals City and gave deputy Roy Carroll a six-game run that included the FA Cup semi-final win over Arsenal.

However, Howard was back in the United starting line-up for the victory against Charlton towards the end of last month and has kept his place ever since.

Although Ferguson insists the dilemma over who to play at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday is one of the toughest he has ever faced, it would be a massive shock if Howard were to be omitted now. And the keeper knows his manager's decision to give him a break could prove crucial to him making the team to face Millwall.

"The rest has definitely helped me," said Howard, who was identified as a potential recruit by United's goalkeeping coach Tony Coton.

"No player will ever go to the manager and say he needs some time off but I guess it is part of his job to know when players need a rest.

"He is a good man-manager and whatever the motivation behind his decision it has worked because I feel good now."

Howard accepts his performance levels had slipped in the second half of the year but, despite losing his first-team berth, the New Jersey-born star claims he never gave up hope of getting back into the side, even though Carroll impressed during his stint between the sticks.

"I knew there was a month to go before the Cup Final and there were a lot of things to get through," he said.

Difficult

"I just needed to get my mind right and my body back together. For any player moving abroad, the first year is always difficult.

"I have learned a lot of things this season and hopefully the next one will be easier."

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