Wes Brown has accepted it is only a matter of time before he is ousted from Manchester United's right-back role.

Brown has been an ever-present for the Red Devils so far this season and is expected to retain his place in Sir Alex Ferguson's side for the trip to Everton.

The Longsight-born defender has been a steady presence in a United back four which has only conceded two goals in five games so far this term, doing enough to secure a place in Steve McClaren's England squad for the Euro 2008 double-header with Israel and Russia.

Although Brown did not add to his 13 caps as England recorded impressive back-to-back three-goal wins, he remains one of the most experienced and versatile defenders in the Barclays Premier League.

Yet the 27-year-old knows with skipper Gary Neville approaching full fitness after a long-running battle against injury, he may have to start getting used to life on the substitutes' bench.

"It has been great to play," he said.

"It is always good to get a run in the side so early in the season.

"But Gary is getting close to his comeback now so when he does return I will make sure I am ready when needed.

"Gary is captain of the club, so when he is fit he will definitely be back in the side.

"I have to work hard, keep in shape and when I get called in I will try to prove what I can do and play my part for the team."

After successive home wins over Tottenham and Sunderland, United will be anxious to keep their victorious run going at Goodison Park.

Everton have made a flying start to the new campaign under David Moyes and already appear to be among a group of sides who, while not quite at title-winning standard, are more than capable of giving the big guns a run for their money.

It is the form of clubs such as Everton, Newcastle and Blackburn which give credence to the theory it will not take quite as many points to win the championship this season as has been required in the past four.

"It is quite possible the big teams could drop more points to the teams around them," said Brown.

"This division keeps getting better and better and from what I have seen, it has made another step up in quality this year."

Brown should hold onto his place for the trip to Goodison Park as Neville is still a week away from a likely return.

The same is also true of Wayne Rooney, even though the young striker has now resumed training after recovering from his fractured foot and would relish the opportunity of facing his old club.

However, Ferguson, mindful that United open their Champions League campaign on Wednesday against Sporting Lisbon, then follow up their trip to Portugal by tackling Chelsea at Old Trafford next week, seems certain to delay Rooney's comeback by a few days.

Cristiano Ronaldo will figure after completing a three-match ban but Ferguson will assess the exertions placed on his squad by their respective international commitments before finalising his line-up.

Chief concern must be Argentina forward Carlos Tevez, whose national duty took him to Melbourne on Tuesday where he was a major figure in a single-goal triumph over Australia.