Cristiano Ronaldo is widely tipped to be named as the PFA Player of the Year tomorrow, although to listen to Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United winger could be picking up the award on crutches.

Ferguson stoked the fires before United’s potentially explosive encounter at home to Middlesbrough in the Barclays Premiership this evening by saying that he fears for Ronaldo’s safety after the controversy that has surrounded the player in recent meetings between the teams.

Having been branded a “cheat” by Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, after allegedly diving to win a penalty during United’s 2-1 win in the teams’ encounter at the Riverside in December, Ronaldo incensed the Teesside club again last month when he won and scored another controversial penalty that earned United a 1-0 victory in their FA Cup sixth-round replay. James Morrison, the Middlesbrough midfield player, was sent off in the closing stages of the match for a dreadful challenge on the Portugal winger.

Although Jonathan Woodgate said later that he had tripped Ronaldo, the United player was given a chilling warning after the match by George Boateng, the Middlesbrough captain, that “one day someone will hurt him properly”.

With Ronaldo central to United’s hopes of claiming an unprecedented second treble, Ferguson is concerned that Middlesbrough could deliberately set out to injure the 22-year-old and has urged Chris Foy, the referee, to protect the player.

“What surprised me is that the FA didn’t write to the player [Boateng],” the United manager said. “I think it was really provocative [what he said]. It was unfortunate and it sets up the game [this evening] with a different tone, that’s the problem.

“I’m fearing the worst myself, I must say that, about what could happen, because we’ve got important games coming up and I don’t think they [Middlesbrough] will be messing about. I think there’s a paranoia about the boy [Ronaldo] and I think they will be aggressive, but I don’t think it’s as bad today as it used to be in the Sixties. Ronaldo’s fantastic quality is that he’s prepared to hold the ball at any given moment.

“He wants to hold the ball and attack defenders and it’s up to the referee to decide whether players are kicking him or fouling him or whatever.”

With Rio Ferdinand and John O’Shea expected to return and Patrice Evra having overcome the calf problem that forced him off after 21 minutes against Sheffield United on Tuesday, a more familiar look should be restored to United’s defence as they aim to open up a six-point gap on Chelsea, who play Newcastle United at St James’ Park tomorrow.

Ferguson got some more good news yesterday as he hopes to have Gary Neville, the captain, and Louis Saha, the forward, fit for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against AC Milan in Italy on Wednesday week and Nemanja Vidic, the defender, who will start training again on Monday only three weeks after suffering a broken collarbone, back for the FA Cup Final against Chelsea on May 19, if not before.

It was just the good fortune Ferguson was hoping for, given that he believes that it will take “an immense amount of luck” to win the treble.

“Whenever we’ve done well, we’ve always had a bit of luck,” the manager said. “The luck we need now is to keep this group fit for the rest of the season and if we do that then we have a really big chance.

“I know José Mourinho [the Chelsea manager] was praying we got injuries and we got them, so we’ve done them a favour that way, but hopefully there’ll be no more. We have them chasing us so we couldn’t ask for a better position. The incentives are great for both teams, although I don’t know where the advantage lies now.”

Rooney sued

Wayne Rooney is being sued by David Moyes, his former manager at Everton, over comments made in the England forward’s autobiography. Moyes is accused of being overbearing and responsible for Rooney’s £27 million transfer to Manchester United in 2004 in the book, My Story So Far. Moyes is reportedly claiming about £300,000 in libel damages. In the writ issued at the High Court, in London, he claimed the allegation had “injured his professional and personal reputation”.