CONTROVERSIAL midfielder Roy Keane is planning a Premiership return in Manchester United's showdown with Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.

Skipper Keane put himself in line for a slot on the bench against Rovers when he completed a long-awaited reserve-team comeback at Old Trafford last night.

Under the gaze of Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson, Keane came through a 90-minute workout against Newcastle's second string, although he wasn't able to prevent United slipping to a 3-2 defeat.

The hot-headed Irishman, who has yet to decide whether he will return to the international fold following the departure of Mick McCarthy last month, has not appeared for his club side since his dismissal against Sunderland at the end of August.

Since then, Keane has spent over three months on the sidelines recovering from a hip operation and has also been forced to cough up a record £150,000 fine and serve a five-match ban for comments made about his tackle on Manchester City midfielder Alfie Haaland in his infamous autobiography.

While he is determined to put a turbulent recent past -- which included his summer World Cup walk-out -- behind him, Keane quickly showed his absence has done little to diminish his notorious competitiveness, with United goalkeeper Ricardo quick to receive a tongue-lashing after failing to execute a quick throw inside his own area.

Showing some deft touches, there was little evidence of rustiness in Keane's play and although United's first team will be bidding for their ninth-successive win when they visit Ewood, Ferguson is almost certain to hand his talisman a place in the travelling squad should he show no ill-effects from last night's encounter.

"I just wanted to get Roy back playing again," said Fergie. "He's been doing terrificly well training-wise and he needed this game under his belt. So, yes, he could be available on Sunday."

If he does play at Ewood, Keane will need to be on his best behaviour because the referee is, David Elleray, who has sent Keane off four times during his United career.