Man Utd Injury Thread

[kyan]

Rio boost for Reds

United have been boosted by the news that Rio Ferdinand could be fit to face Roma in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford.

Ferdinand limped out of Sunday's 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough, but a scan on Monday confirmed he had not suffered a broken foot. Rio missed training on Tuesday morning to have treatment on the injury, prompting suggestions that he would not be fit to face the Italians.

However, Sir Alex Ferguson says the influential centre-back is still in contention as United look to capitalise on a 2-0 first-leg win and book a place in the semi finals.

“We hope he is going to play,” said the Reds boss. “His scan was clear, which is good news. We hope that we can get him fit for the game."

Ferdinand will undergo a fitness test on Wednesday morning, when the decision will be taken whether to play the 29-year-old. Sir Alex added: “The players report to us at 11 o’clock on Wednesday morning, so he will have to do something then.”

There was further good news as the United manager revealed that Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre will both be involved in the squad, with one perhaps making the starting line-up.

For Neville, it could be his first outing for the first-team in over a year since suffering ankle ligament damage against Bolton Wanderers in March last year.

“Gary and Mikael will be involved,” he added. “Both won’t start, but one may start depending on Rio’s situation. I’m hopeful that both players will get part of a game. The good thing is they are back and training very well.

“The best news we’ve had with Gary is that he has no interruptions. I’m very pleased with Gary’s progress and he has the ability to play in a match like Wednesday’s.

"We’ll make the decision in the morning, but by that time I could have five different teams!”

With a 2-0 advantage and Arsenal visiting Old Trafford on Sunday, the temptation could be to rest some key players. United will make changes, but not so much that it compromises a potential place in the semi finals.

“I’ve got to play a team that is going to win. It’s difficult to leave players like Cristiano Ronaldo out because of the form he is in.

"There will be one or two changes, but ones that we hope are sensible and will give us the result we want.”

NEWS AND FEATURES: Rio boost for Reds - Manchester United Official Web Site

That's huge, tbh I'd rather we didn't risk Rio tomorrow and left him for the weekend game because barring a disaster we should be through in the Champions League, and a bit more game time for Neville or Silvestre would help us later down the line...

[dukeofdavinci]

That's huge, tbh I'd rather we didn't risk Rio tomorrow and left him for the weekend game because barring a disaster we should be through in the Champions League, and a bit more game time for Neville or Silvestre would help us later down the line...

was thinking the the same, if the need arises we could just field him for about 10' just to make him match fit since he missed training.

[dukeofdavinci]

Rio fit, Vidic on the mend

Rio Ferdinand will be fit to face Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, while Nemanja Vidic is on course to return against Blackburn next Saturday.

Ferdinand had to have three stitches in a cut on his right foot at half-time during Wednesday's 1-0 win over Roma. The injury was unrelated to the problem that forced him off against Middlesbrough last week. The good news is that the 29-year-old has suffered no further ill-effects from this latest complaint.

Vidic, Rio's central defensive partner, was forced off in the first half of the first leg against the Italian side in Rome ten days ago. He was given a two-three week recovery prognosis, and looks set to be back in double-quick time.

"Vidic is doing very well," said Sir Alex Ferguson. "He's not available for Sunday, but he should be back for Blackburn."

Nani, who has been suffering with a thigh problem, may struggle to play a part against Arsenal, but he will definitely be available to face Mark Hughes' side at Ewood Park.

Elsewhere, Gary Neville is in contention for the first-team after his cameo appearance on Wednesday. But Sir Alex admits competition for places is tough with "players playing well in defence". He added: "Nevertheless, it's great to have him back."

United's only other injury concerns - Darren Fletcher (knee) and Louis Saha (hamstring) - are doing well in their recovery and will both be back before the end of the season.

good progress, coz rovers away will be even tougher then what we had coming in the boro game last weekend.

[Mr Brightside]

I'm so pleased to hear that Vidic is due back next Saturday......

[dukeofdavinci]

Vida's return boosts Reds

Nemanja Vidic is fit and will face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday afternoon.

That was the big team news from Sir Alex’s weekly press conference at Carrington on Friday lunchtime, followed by word that Nani will also travel with the squad and could be on the bench for the crunch Premier League fixture.

Vidic injured his knee against AS Roma on 1 April and was forced to sit out the return leg in Manchester, as well as the Reds’ league battles with Middlesbrough and Arsenal.

There was also encouraging news on Darren Fletcher, who was injured on international duty for Scotland in late March. The 24-year-old has returned to light training and is expected to resume full training on Monday.

“It’s good news,” Sir Alex said. “It’s another player back to add to the recent returns of Gary [Neville] and Mikael [Silvestre] and will give us good options."

Not all the news from the manager’s press conference was rosy, however. Midfielders Anderson and Owen Hargreaves are both slight doubts ahead of Saturday’s trip to Blackburn, although Anderson was able to train on Friday. But Louis Saha is definitely out after injuring his hamstring in training earlier this week.

"It's very disapppointing both for us and the Louis," said the boss.

a bit of both this time,not a major concern but it does have effect on the game we have in hand.

[Mr Brightside]

Disappointing for us and Louis ?

SAF, get rid.....................

[dukeofdavinci]

he will come this summer, no worries on that.

[kyan]

Everyone is fit again, Fletcher is back from his injury he picked up v Scotland and is in the squad to face Barcelona.

VDS, Anderson & Hargreaves return after knocks kept them out of the draw with Blackburn.

And Rooney is good to go for Barcelona despite the knock to his hip he received in the Blackburn game.

[dukeofdavinci]

Fletcher is back from his injury he picked up v Scotland and is in the squad to face Barcelona

a big surprise, not sure if he will play any part in nou-camp, but its welcomed boost to have him for the remaining league games.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Nemanja Vidic is fit for Manchester United's big match at Chelsea tomorrow.

[dukeofdavinci]

Vidic is set to return

Nemanja Vidic looks set to play in United's lunchtime trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday after recovering from a stomach virus.

The Serbian defender missed the Reds' Champions League clash in Barcelona on Wednesday, but was able to train on Friday morning and is all but certain to start against Chelsea.

"Vidic will hopefully be okay," confirmed Sir Alex. "He has trained this morning. We're hopeful he will be fit. He has a good chance. We dealt with it [the virus] right away and got him to hospital quickly. We hope he is going to be all right."

The United boss also confirmed he would make one or two changes to the side which earned a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp. "I will freshen up one or two positions. With the squad I've got, I can do that. There's nothing definite at the moment but I'll make a couple of changes."

The big games keep coming for United with the semi-final second leg against Barcelona at Old Trafford on Tuesday. But Sir Alex feels the scheduling has gone against the Reds.

"The Liverpool fixture with Chelsea was Tuesday followed by Wednesday, so there is four days either way to get themselves ready, which is a big advantage," he stated. "Unfortunately, we have 60 hours to prepare for this game. All we can do is rest. We stayed overnight in Barcelona and had a light training session at their training ground. Being in the sun and having a day relaxing is probably the best thing we could have done.

"Once you shake hands with the devil, there is nothing you can do about it. It is not fair but what can you do? It happened to us last year after the semi-final with AC Milan, we had to play Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime. We just get on with it."

glad to hear he is back, lets hope he makes to it to the barca game as well.

[dukeofdavinci]

Injured duo OK for Tuesday?

Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney were both in the wars again this weekend, as United lost the battle at Stamford Bridge.

Serbian centre-back Vidic, who missed the midweek match in Barcelona, saw just eight minutes of action against Chelsea. The defender came off worse in a duel with Didier Drogba and was treated by physio Rob Swire before leaving the field on a stretcher.

“He (Vidic) got kneed in the face by Drogba - and no foul was given," Sir Alex told MUTV.

"He’s got a few stitches under his lip and he’s lost a tooth. He was dazed rather than concussed but if we’d waited for him to come round we would have played 10 or 15 minutes (with ten men) and you can’t afford that in such a big game. So we took him off."

Owen Hargreaves came on at right-back and Wes Brown replaced Vidic as Rio Ferdinand's partner in the centre. The reorganised rearguard kept Chelsea at bay until Michael Ballack scored in first-half injury time - and for a similar duration in the second period until the same opponent netted his controversial penalty.

Rooney was withdrawn in the second half, moments after scoring United's equaliser.

“Wayne got the same knock as he got last week, straight on the hip bone," said Sir Alex.

"It takes a while for that to clear because when you get a bang on it, it’s very painful. I’m hopeful he will be alright for Tuesday's match against Barcelona.

"Other than that, I think everyone’s okay."

doubts linger on vida yet again.ffs lost a tooth???, and on rooney.we need him to be 200% fit and not like the way he was in the past 2 games.

[unitedfan]

If theres a player we need against Barcelona, it's Rooney. Our attack fails to break opposition defences without Rooney in the team. Worst case scenario, we have to bring him off the bench in the second half.

[dukeofdavinci]

Doubts remain over Reds duo

Sir Alex Ferguson will wait until the final moment before deciding whether his injured warriors Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic can face Barcelona.

Both players were substituted during Saturday's defeat at Chelsea and there is concern that Tuesday night will come too soon for the pair as they recover from facial (Vidic) and hip problems (Rooney).

"Obviously for such an important game, we’ve got to give them every chance," said Sir Alex, at Monday's pre-match press conference.

"Nemanja didn’t train yesterday or today, neither did Wayne. It’s a difficult one. We think both could make it but I can’t be dead certain.”

What does seem certain is that Cristiano Ronaldo will return to the starting line-up, fresh from being a sub on Saturday and being crowned PFA Player of the Year on Sunday.

Patrice Evra could also come back in, despite being one booking away from missing the final. Mikael Silvestre performed impressively in Evra's absence at left-back but has only just returned to the fold after a lengthy spell out with injury.

not the kind of news i would like to read here at manchester after a tiring flight.damn!!

but we will rock stretford!!

[dukeofdavinci]

United's treble boost

Sir Alex is hopeful Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra will all be fit to face West Ham at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Rooney (hip) and Vidic (head) missed the Reds’ triumphant Champions League semi-final second leg on Tuesday night, while Evra (head) was stretchered off in the game’s dying stages.

“Patrice got a