Duff is still fighting his own personal fitness battle, that seems to have gone on longer than Boar War, but Big Sam sees him playing a major part in United's Premiership hopes in December.
Is There A Place For Duff?
Sam Allardyce: "Damien is training on a daily basis. He's kicking and moving the ball around in one to one situations.
"That will hopefully progress soon to him taking in some training with players.
"That will hopefully progress soon to him taking in some training with players.
"My opinion would be that we could hopefully get him involved in the massive December that we are facing.
"If we can do that we'll have swum the Channel because at that particular time, every player will hopefully stay fit and be available for selection.
"We'll need them.
"He will hopefully progress soon to taking in some training with the players.
"We will say to the players to be careful with him and not to get involved in tackles with him - just let him get a feel of joining in with the lads again, because that will be a massive boost for him having trained on his own for so long.
"Then we'll start with some training games and hopefully some reserve matches."