Giggs accepts bit-part role

Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs accepts that he is no longer a key player in Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

The 38-year-old has featured in every Premier League season for the Red Devils but, while wanting to play as much as he can, he understands the Scot's decision to use him sparingly.

"It’s not a new thing for me, not getting in the team every week," he told The Times of India.

"It's been happening a bit over a few years. I have got used to it. I don’t worry too much because I know that, come the business end of the season, I'll be ready, I'll be fit and the manager will use me."

Giggs has played few games in the early part of the season because of his involvement in the Olympics, which meant being absent during a key phase of pre-season preparation but he insisted: "I'm in good shape.

"I was at the Olympics so I missed the majority of the club's pre-season training and that meant I was perhaps a little bit [more] rusty than others. But I've managed to get back in shape over the last few weeks, working with the coaches."

United host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday, a fixture to which Giggs is no stranger. The Welshman believes that it is vital that the hosts get something out of the game.

"It's obviously a big game with a lot of history to it," the Welshman noted.

"City and Liverpool have always been big games for United but, since I've been in the team, it was Arsenal and then Chelsea who turned out to be the main challengers. Getting points out of those games is very important."