ANTTI NIEMI has delivered a damning assessment of the season so far, admitting: "There is no one who can really say they've done well."

Saints' Player of the Year made a welcome return to full training yesterday, leaving head coach Steve Wigley with a selection headache ahead of Saturday's trip to Old Trafford.

Kasey Keller has been brought in on a month's loan from Tottenham and has performed well in the past three matches, but Niemi unquestionably brings a certain aura of confidence to the team.

"We have to pick up points sooner rather than later," said Niemi. "The season has been okay personally, but right now, no one can really say 'I've done well'."

November was supposed to be the month Saints turned their season around.

But, after picking up five points against Norwich, Crystal Palace, West Brom and Pompey, they will finish the month exactly where they started it - 18th in the table, although also out of the Carling Cup.

Now they face the daunting prospect of a trip to Manchester United with the Red Devils beginning to hit top form.

Striker James Beattie is expected to return from his calf injury and Niemi says he is prepared to play through the pain if necessary.

"I've missed a few games, which is disappointing, because my aim at the start of the season was to play every single game," said the Finn.

"But you have to think positively and I have been lucky not to have had any really long injuries.

"You look at people like Matthew Oakley and you see him in the gym every day for six months trying to come back, so I can't really complain.

"Because of the sort of injury it is, it doesn't matter if it hurts a bit when I come back, because I can't really do any damage to the work that has been done.

"With ligaments and tendons and stuff like that, it is a bit different but I have just had a bit of cartilage trimmed and I cannot really affect that."

Saints were unlucky to be beaten in a five-goal thriller at Old Trafford last season in one of Gordon Strachan's last matches as boss - a game Niemi remembers well.

"It's fun playing against all the top teams," he said. "When I was a little kid growing up, Man United and Liverpool were the legendary clubs in England.

"It is unbelievable to think Sir Alex Ferguson has been there for 1,000 games. I take my hat off to him.

"Nowadays, there seems to be a manager losing their job pretty much every day, so I don't think anyone will do what he has done again. Wayne Rooney will be a joy for years to come if he avoids injuries and it's pretty scary to think players like Saha and Smith have not been getting into the team.

"It's not just the strikers - they have good players everywhere in the team but of course we have a chance. We went to Arsenal and took points off them."