United defensive woes deepen as Vidic stays home

Manchester United have been left with just one regular defender for Tuesday’s Champions League tie with Wolfsburg after Nemanja Vidic failed to recover from flu in time to travel to Germany.

The Serbian centreback was left at home along with Gary Neville and Wes Brown, who both suffered injuries in Saturday’s 4-0 win at West Ham, longer-term absentees Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea and Jonny Evans, and Brazilian twins Fabio and Rafael da Silva.

France left-back Patrice Evra is the last first-team defender standing and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is resigned to fielding a makeshift back four against the German champions.

Michael Carrick is expected to stand in in central defence, as he did after Neville went off on Saturday, and his fellow midfielder Darron Gibson is also able to operate at the back.

Alternatively, Ferguson could gamble on handing a debut to Oliver Gill, the 19-year-old son of United’s chief executive David, who is a specialist defender but has made only nine appearances for the reserves this season.

United, who need a point to ensure they finish top of their group, have also opted to travel without Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Ryan Giggs while first-choice goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar remains sidelined by injury.