Ryan shame if Giggs is not voted No.1

Giggs will be back aiming to tear Chelsea apart again after watching Saturday's win from the Old Trafford stand there was a big player absent for Manchester United on Saturday. The guy who steps up time and time again in massive matches.

The bloke who performed brilliantly against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League, and who you see battling for the Red Devil cause all over the pitch.

No, not yer man who says he wants to leave the club, tells the fans United have no ambition, sticks around when he gets a mammoth pay rise and then swears into a camera with such viciousness that you think you are watching a horror movie rather than a football match.

I'm referring to a proper United hero --Ryan Giggs. United won 2- 0 against Fulham at Old Trafford at the weekend to edge nearer to a 19th title and keep the treble dream alive.

But there was no doubt that they missed the calming and classy influence of the 37-year-old Welshman, as they stumbled to three points.

Even Sir Alex Ferguson saw it that way. (Easier when you've just won). "I didn't think it was a job well done at all," said the United boss. "The players were casual and lackadaisical. In the second half, we were wasteful in possession and could have suffered for that."

Had Giggs been on the pitch, Ferguson would not have had to complain about the above. Knowing the importance of his most experienced player, Ferguson rested Giggs for the Fulham match ahead of tomorrow's Champions League encounter with Chelsea and the FA Cup semi-final against Man City.

Giggs will be back for both and will no doubt deliver performances that we have come to expect from him.

Over the weekend, there has been lots of debate about the PFA Player of Year nominations and who out of Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), Scott Parker (West Ham), Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart (both Spurs), Samir Nasri (Arsenal), Charlie Adam (Blackpool) and Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) deserves to collect the award.

None of them in my book. Giggs has been the best player this season, shining in whatever position Ferguson has put him in.

Goodness knows how United are going to replace him when he decides to call it a day, though the way he gets better with age -- like one of those fine red wines Sir Alex so appreciates -- he could easily go on until he's 40.

If United miss him in a run-of-the-mill game against Fulham, how will they cope when he's not around for an entire season?

Years ago, when he started out and everyone was falling over themselves to praise him, I thought Giggs was over-rated. He was a winger, who couldn't cross a ball, though I will admit that he scored a few spectacular goals now and again.

In the last half of his career though, he has become one of the best all-round footballers I've ever seen -- he can even cross now.

Wayne Rooney is the most talked about footballer in Britain. And let's be honest, despite his appalling attitude and antics this season, he's a magnificent player. But face facts, he's no Ryan Giggs, is he?