SIR Alex Ferguson still rates Wes Brown as England's most natural defender despite all his injury woes.

With Rio Ferdinand missing due to a long-standing back complaint and both John O'Shea and Jonny Evans sidelined after picking up injuries on international duty earlier this month, Manchester United are now relying on Brown and Nemanja Vidic for the solidity they have been missing lately.

And Ferguson has been delighted by the early results.

Although the Reds lost their 23-match unbeaten home record in the Champions League when they were beaten by Besiktas on Wednesday night, United kept the Turks at bay for almost all of the game.

It followed a clean sheet against Everton last weekend. And, with another required at Fratton Park tomorrow when United tackle crisis club Portsmouth, Ferguson is happy to place his trust in Brown's abilities.

"When Wes Brown is fit, he is the best natural defender in the country," said Ferguson.

"I keep thinking he is only 22 or 23 but we were doing a summary of our players' ages and contracts the other day and I saw Wes is 30.

"But he has such a young approach to life which you have to pay tribute to the lad for.

"He has done well to deal with all the things he has had to deal with and still come out fighting."

Brown's catalogue of injuries include cruciate operations on both knees, a broken ankle and a succession of muscular problems, the latest of which effectively ruled him out of the whole of last season.

It robbed the Manchester-born defender of a chance to build on his most consistent campaign, which ended with the Champions League penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea in Moscow in May 2008.

"Players need a run of games to achieve consistency and get the timing and tempo of their game correct," said Ferguson.

"We are seeing that at the moment. Now he is fit again and looking fantastic, he gets better all the time. Long may it continue."