Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves is facing a second operation to save his career.

The People says Hargreaves, who has already had one knee operated on by top surgeon Richard Steadman, will return to his Colorado clinic in the New Year, after spending Christmas with his family in Canada.

The England midfielder, signed from Bayern Munich 17 months ago, has started just three games for United this season, all during a one-week period in September.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is backing his player: "Owen has been living in Colorado while he recovers from the operation on one knee. He says he hasn't got any pain at all in the knee that's been operated on, so we are very hopeful everything will be fine after the next operation.

"His time at United has been overshadowed by the problems with his knees. We tried to manage the situation without surgery but we are optimistic now that the operations will be the answer to it all."