Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Javier Hernandez's form this season has given him a "terrible dilemma" when it comes to team selection.

The Mexican international has found the net on 14 occasions in all competitions so far, which has made him United's second leading goalscorer behind Robin van Persie.

However, despite that form, 24-year-old Hernandez has spent a large part of the season among the substitutes, with Ferguson often preferring Van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck in the centre-forward role.

Nevertheless, Ferguson has insisted that Hernandez is a highly valued member of his playing squad.

"He got a break in the summer, got the little rest and that's shown the benefit," Ferguson told MUTV. "It's a terrible dilemma when I've got that lad there. Sometimes I leave him out to bring in Robin van Persie, but as I explain to him, we regard him so highly.

"He's a fantastic professional, unbelievable attitude to the game, never stops running or working and every training session's the same, so I'm really pleased for him and it's good to see Wayne Rooney back scoring."

Hernandez joined United in the summer of 2010 from Guadalajara.