Alex Ferguson's relationship with Louis Saha has become increasingly strained because of the striker's susceptibility to injury, with the Frenchman claiming he was not fit enough even to attend Manchester United's end-of-season dinner.

Saha, a conspicuous absentee as Cristiano Ronaldo was named as the club's player of the year, has started only four games in 2007 and Ferguson believes the former Fulham striker may become a liability.

United's manager has had angry words with Saha behind the scenes and has pointedly remarked in press conferences that the player needs to feel he is 100 per cent fit or he does not play. The inference is that most players would try to run off niggling injuries and that Saha did not show the same dedication as others.

Saha has had recurrent hamstring problems and, having finally been given the medical all-clear, he has been ruled out of Saturday's FA Cup final against Chelsea after damaging knee cartilage in training.

He was at Old Trafford on Sunday to collect his Premiership winner's medal but he later submitted a doctor's note explaining that he was unable to drive and would therefore not attend the club dinner. Although he was given permission to stay at home, it is felt by some inside the club that he could have made it.

The episode is unlikely to have enhanced Ferguson's faltering opinion of Saha, with every other player from the senior, reserve and youth academy squads in attendance apart from Park Ji-Sung, who is recovering from a major knee operation.

Ferguson's primary concern is that he wanted Saha to form a regular partnership with Wayne Rooney in attack. After an encouraging start to the season, Saha lost his place when Henrik Larsson joined on loan and has subsequently suffered a string of injuries.

Three and a half years after signing for United for £12.8 million he has started only 66 games and, to Ferguson's irritation, there have been three occasions in the past six weeks when he has been pencilled in to make his comeback, and given the all-clear by the club's doctors, only to rule himself out at the last minute.

Ferguson's frustrations derive from the fact that United are generally at their best when Saha is in attack.

The striker has made it clear he wants to remain at Old Trafford. "There is no reason to leave," he said last night. "We have just won the title and I want to stay at the club to help us win more championships."

Gary Neville will miss the cup final. United's captain and full back has not played since injuring an ankle against Bolton on March 17th. He was due to return to full training on Monday but is still reporting some pain from the injury and will undergo an exploratory operation.

Jose Mourinho claims Chelsea's injury problems are so bad he will consider picking goalkeeper Hilario as a substitute striker on Saturday.

Mourinho could have just 15 senior players fit for the match. He said: "I will have to choose between Hilario because he is not bad playing forward, or I'll bring one of the kids to make 16."