Ferguson short of defensive options

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says the club are suffering under the weight of another defensive injury crisis.

Phil Jones (knee) and Chris Smalling (broken metatarsal) have each spent a prolonged spell on the sidelines, with club captain Nemanja Vidic facing more time out after undergoing minor knee surgery on Tuesday.

That leaves only Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans as Ferguson’s remaining fit centre-backs.

And with three matches to go until the international break, the Scot is hoping those two players can make it through the schedule unscathed.

He told reporters: “Everyone knows the situation with our defenders.

“We are having a hard time with that.

“Nemanja Vidic being out is a blow to us and we simply cannot take a risk with defenders.

“We just hope if we can get through the next two league games it will give us a little breather and we can start to get one or two of them back.”

Of the injured three, Chris Smalling is likely to be the first to return to full fitness, but this weekend’s match at home to Tottenham Hotspur will come too soon for him.

There is better news offensively for United though, with Wayne Rooney set to make his English Premier League comeback after suffering a gashed leg two weeks ago.

Midfielder Tom Cleverley also opened his goal-scoring account for the club in a League Cup win against Newcastle United on Wednesday.

And the England midfielder admitted his lack of goals had started to become an issue for him.

“It (not having scored for United) has been playing on my mind a little bit,” Cleverley said.

“I have always scored goals when I have gone on loan, so it was bugging me that I had not been doing it for my club or my country.

“I have got the first one out of the way now. Hopefully they will all come at once.”

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