ManUnited faces defensive headache
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 24, 2009 00:00
MILANO - Manchester United faces a defensive injury crisis ahead of tonight's crucial Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash away to Inter Milan.
Sir Alex Ferguson is already deprived of Serbia center-back Nemanja Vidic through suspension while veteran Gary Neville and Wes Brown are both definitely out.
Northern Ireland center-back Jonny Evans also picked up an ankle injury during Saturday's 2-1 Premier League victory over Blackburn, while fellow defender John O'Shea missed that game with a heel problem.
It means that Ferguson could be left with only one recognized senior center-half in Rio Ferdinand, while the only other defender at his disposal to have played first-team football before this season is France's Patrice Evra.
It has all left Ferguson a bit worried ahead of the most eagerly anticipated tie of the round.
"We've got some injury issues of course and I just hope we can get two center-backs out there," he said. "We're having a nightmare with defenders this season. Hopefully we can patch it up for Tuesday because this does leave us very, very short."
United may well have to resort to a dogged defensive display, aiming to hit their hosts on the break. That is something that Inter coach Jose Mourinho is most concerned about.
"I don't want my players to feel under pressure, I want them to enjoy themselves and the first thing I will tell them is that I have great belief in their ability to win it," said the Portuguese boss. "I've known Manchester since 2004, they're the best counter-attacking team in the world and can kill their opponents in transition. They have Berbatov, who has fantastic technical qualities and then Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez or Park, who can make the difference, give them width and pace. Our concentration will have to be spot on."
Northern Ireland center-back Jonny Evans also picked up an ankle injury during Saturday's 2-1 Premier League victory over Blackburn, while fellow defender John O'Shea missed that game with a heel problem.
It means that Ferguson could be left with only one recognized senior center-half in Rio Ferdinand, while the only other defender at his disposal to have played first-team football before this season is France's Patrice Evra.
It has all left Ferguson a bit worried ahead of the most eagerly anticipated tie of the round.
"We've got some injury issues of course and I just hope we can get two center-backs out there," he said. "We're having a nightmare with defenders this season. Hopefully we can patch it up for Tuesday because this does leave us very, very short."
United may well have to resort to a dogged defensive display, aiming to hit their hosts on the break. That is something that Inter coach Jose Mourinho is most concerned about.
"I don't want my players to feel under pressure, I want them to enjoy themselves and the first thing I will tell them is that I have great belief in their ability to win it," said the Portuguese boss. "I've known Manchester since 2004, they're the best counter-attacking team in the world and can kill their opponents in transition. They have Berbatov, who has fantastic technical qualities and then Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez or Park, who can make the difference, give them width and pace. Our concentration will have to be spot on."