The Reds had initially feared they would be without the American keeper, described as the Reds' "player of the year" by both manager Sir Alex Ferguson and defender Gary Neville, for as many as seven matches.
He was due to jet off across the Atlantic for matches on January 17 and 21, February 18 and March 31 - until FIFA changed the qualifying procedure, meaning that the USA now don't begin its qualifying process until June.
The original plan would have meant Howard missing a league game against Wolves, and possibly those against Leeds, Arsenal and Charlton, as well as any third round FA Cup replay against Aston Villa, and FA Cup fourth and fifth round games, should the Reds progress.
He is expected to play for the US when they meet Holland in a friendly on February 18, but that match slots into the international calendar and will not be as disruptive as it takes place in Amsterdam.
The good news about Howard was tempered slightly by the loss of Eric Djemba-Djemba, now out of the United reckoning until March.
He has been called up for the Cameroon's Olympic Games qualifiers and for the African Nations Cup, which keeps him away from Old Trafford until the end of February
"We have not really had any use out of him for some time, apart from him being on the bench for the Everton game, with his mother being ill and call-ups for the Olympic Games and the African Nations Cup," said Fergie.
"We are just forgetting about him until March."
Another face absent from United has been Cristiano Ronaldo, currently enjoying an 18-day break in his native Portugal.
"We have given him a little three week winter break and has gone back to Portugal," says Fergie."He has done fantastically well, and that's why we have given him a break."
Ronaldo signed off with a dazzling display against Everton on Boxing Day, and Fergie says that may not have been a coincidence.
He will return to train for the Premiership game at Wolves on January 17 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will also be getting close to the United reckoning again.
He is pencilled in for the reserve game against Birmingham on January 14.
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As good as Tim Howard is, and as important he is to the future of the US men's team, there was little chance Bruce Arena would have brought in Howard to face a team like grenada or one of the other carribean minnows the US must face until the next round. Tim Howard is actually third in the pecking order behind Brad Friedel (Blackburn) and Kasey Keller(Tottenham)
In fact Arena may not use any keepers from Europe early on, such is the strength of US goalkeeping, Arena will probably use Johhny Walker (NY Metros) who replaced Tim, or Josh Thorton (Chicago Fire) as the main keepers for the preliminary WC Qualifying rounds.
Agreed. Arena would not have ticked off SAF by dragging Tim over to face Guyana or Grenada. TH will be of more service to US efforts by performing, learning and toughening up with United. But, UK readers, please know that later round Concacaf qualifyers are not gentile affairs. With all due respect, I don't even know if a United match with Liverpool, Arsenal or City can prepare anyone for a WCQ in Central America.
Playing for Man U does not even guarantee a spot on the bench for Tim. Friedel and Keller are tested and proven, and have much more experience. For initial rounds Arena will more than likely rely on his MLS crew. Walker, who replaced Howard splendidly, Hahneman or Thornton. Sorry lads, but all of these MLS keepers mentioned are better than anything we even have. It's amazing to see. Bruce used his MLS roster 80% of the time when it came to qualification four years ago...even though the cup was 50/50. With MLS getting even stronger I will expect more of the same. He basically played a third string at the past Confed Cup (averaged about 23 years of age if memory serves) with almost exclusive MLS players and they held their own. Like I've said before. We don't get it. Their players are as good as every team out here except at the last 2 to 3%. It's just a matter of time, and it will be sooner than later.
Not that I believe Howard is behind either frediel or keller in any pecking order(what a lark), I am from the school which believes, rightly or wrongly, that we as a club are bigger than international football and hence, would like to see one day all our players stick with us and abandon national duties!
I agree that some of our more marquee keepers would sit out the first few qualifiers...where I don't agree is that Tim will remain third in the pecking order. Arena has to balance proven int'l experience against a keeper that is on top of his game and swelling with confidence. I think Brad and Kasey have both had 'off' seasons so far, so I expect Bruce to start paving the way to the future by giving Tim the number one through much of qualifying....
Tim Howard may have competition in Joe Cannon, Adin Brown, Jonny Walker for the #3 spot mending the net for the US Nats