Ferdinand injury giving United cause for concern

Nov 6, 6:44 am EST

By Ian Whittell

MANCHESTER, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, whose form for club and country has been under close scrutiny this season, will miss the visit to Premier League leaders Chelsea on Sunday amid growing fears over his fitness.

United manager Alex Ferguson, who marked his 23rd anniversary in charge of the club on Friday, said that experts have been unable to pinpoint the nature of a calf injury which has sidelined the defender for the last two weeks.

“We don’t know exactly where the calf injury is coming from,” Ferguson told a news conference. “Whether it is coming from the lower back, whether it is a nerve thing.

“But calf injuries are normally two to three weeks and he is showing no sign of recovering from that injury. We’re looking at the whole situation, whether it is coming from the back or not, but in the meantime he is out. There is no improvement so obviously we are looking at something different.”

Ferdinand, who turns 31 on Saturday, has had his form widely questioned after indifferent performances for United and Fabio Capello’s England team so far this season and the potential for an extended spell on the sidelines constitutes a major setback.

Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic has been passed fit for the clash with Chelsea, along with midfielder Darren Fletcher who has recovered from a minor injury collected in the midweek Champions League draw against CSKA Moscow.

Ferguson, 67, would like nothing more than to mark his anniversary at Old Trafford with a rare victory at Stamford Bridge, his club having failed to win there in the last seven visits. Chelsea top the standings on 27 points from 11 matches, two ahead of second-placed United.

The Scot is clearly relishing the challenge of what is viewed by many as a possible title decider, despite his longevity in the job.

“I don’t think so,” said Ferguson when asked whether his desire is lessening with the years. “Whether other people judge it differently, I don’t know.

“But in the main, I have been lucky. I have had my health and that’s all you can be thankful for. As you get older, there are different deteriorations in health, maybe small things, you can’t avoid it. But, as I say, I have been lucky.

“Chelsea is a big game and, hopefully, we can improve our record down there because it has not been good the last six years or so. I think the players realise it is a big game and their performance is going to be important.”

(Editing by Justin Palmer; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Updated Nov 6, 6:44 am EST
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26 Comments

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  1. SEC Owns All
    26. Posted by SEC Owns All Sat Nov 7 11:52pm EST

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    Man U pants head go. Fergie man the coach with the Rooney. I look to the EPL for me watching.
  2. nuboy
    25. Posted by nuboy Mon Sep 21 6:38am EDT

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    Man U shpuld have an AD welcome to Manchester with Michael Owen arms outstreched ( ha Ha Ha )
  3. i might need a bailout
    24. Posted by i might need a bailout Sat Sep 19 6:27pm EDT

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    I'll have to get up early and watch this.
  4. paul
    23. Posted by paul Sat Sep 19 3:25pm EDT

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    What would be great for football is an upset for Man City ...and a changing of the guards...keeps true excitment in football...

    Fergie needs a good lesson in life too - he is not God...
  5. Pacheco
    22. Posted by Pacheco Fri Sep 4 4:35pm EDT

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    such lame stats vegeta by those stats european leagues all suck. non euro leagues have many different champs every year cause they are more balanced. look it up since u seem to look up stats anyways. plus in the champions only reason england doesnt win them more is beacuse they have to knock eachother out before the finals. i cant remember the last time spanish teams knocked each other out. and u keep using the same stats every article that u care to comment about. lame stats. epl is better because it offers more then just a title race like la liga, serie a and all other big leagues.u have uefa spots battles, relegation battles. and much better single games then other leagues
  6. <i>sitimadenis@...</i>
    21. Posted by sitimadenis@... Fri Aug 21 10:16am EDT

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    Untd "ve often startd slowly,bt dat has has nt stopd us winnin the premier league title.Da same way it has been startin 11 times in da last 17 seasons includin da last 3 succession.U "ll get surprisd especially;ERICKO, BENJA, & JUDY
  7. Brian W
    20. Posted by Brian W Mon Aug 17 3:05pm EDT

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    Vegeta - did I not read that England put six (6) players on the UEFA players of the year awards list? All from different teams! Spain's six players all came from the same team - Barcelona. The Italians had 0 on the list. It appears more like the Spanish league was created to help one team - Barcelona! What I am talking about is caliber of play from top to bottom and I still say the EPL is the best league in European football.
  8. cynthia
    19. Posted by cynthia Mon Aug 17 2:59pm EDT

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    i dont c y man u shuld joy over 1 goal.Arsenal were da boooomb on saturday.they opened the league in style.go go go Arsenal ur time is come.doom on fergie dis round.
  9. <i>dinesh_pk23</i>
    18. Posted by dinesh_pk23 Mon Aug 17 11:46am EDT

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    man utd is d best team around.. dey can win dis even witout ronaldo... its uniteds season again... glory glory man utd...!!!!
  10. Vegeta
    17. Posted by Vegeta Mon Aug 17 11:23am EDT

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    The EPL is an overrated league that is a fact look at the numbers. Let’s take it from 1992 the when NEW PREMIER LEAGUE was created. 1992 -2009 NOW please READ it WELL

    Looking at EPl it like a ponzi scheme or pyramid scheme... the Premier league was created to help one team... it people (FANS of the EPL) look before 1992.. The FA was balance... why create another LEVEL or LAYER ... of division with TITLE PREMIER ... to sound BETTER or MAKE people THINK it's BETTER or GOOD.. the number below do not lie... those are hard number... it people want to talk about show me the Money or the best.. well... the FA was better before 1992.. now it's control be one group of people who want to keep it that way..

    Taking from the point of the NEW PREMIER LEAGUE of ENGLAND (OVER RATED LEAGUE)
    The number do not lie it look likes LA LIGA, LIGUE and BUNDESLIGA is more balance compare to the over rated league of ENGLAND
    Premier League
    4 different teams from 1992 -2009 Man U 11 championship
    Arsenal 3 championship
    Chelsea 2 championship
    Blackburn Rovers 1 championship
    4 different champions in the span of 17 years

    La Liga
    6 different teams from 1993 -2009 FC Barcelona 6 championship
    Real Madrid 6 championship
    Valencia CF 2 championship
    6 different champions in the span of 17 years

    Seira A
    5 different teams from 1993-2009 AC Milan 5 championship
    Juventus 5 championship
    Inter 4 championships
    Roma 1 championship
    Lazio 1 championship
    5 different champions in the span of 17 years

    Bundesliga
    6 different teams 1993-2009 Bayern Munich 8 championship
    Borussia Dortmund 3 championship
    9 different champions in the span of 17 years

    Ligue 1
    9 different teams 1993-2009 Lyon 7 championship (the last 9 years)
    Nantes 2 championship
    7 different champions in the span of 17 years

    Eredivisie
    5 different teams 1993-2009 PSV Eindhoven 8 championship
    AJAX 6 championship
    4 different champions in the span of 17 years


    CHAMPION LEAGUE
    1992 - 1993 Olympique de Marseille Lost - AC Milan
    1993 - 1994 AC Milan Lost - Barcelona
    1994 - 1995 AFC Ajax Lost - AC Milan
    1995 - 1996 Juventus Lost - AFC Ajax
    1996 - 1997 BV Borussia Dortmund Lost - Juventus
    1997 - 1998 Real Madrid CF Lost - Juventus
    1998 - 1999 Manchester United FC Lost - Bayern München
    1999 - 2000 Real Madrid CF Lost - Valencia
    2000 - 2001 FC Bayern München Lost - Valencia CF
    2001 - 2002 Real Madrid CF Lost - Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    2002 - 2003 AC Milan Lost - Juventus
    2003 - 2004 FC Porto Lost - AS Monaco
    2004 - 2005 Liverpool FC Lost - AC Milan
    2005 - 2006 FC Barcelona Lost - Arsenal FC
    2006 - 2007 AC Milan Lost - Liverpool FC
    2007 - 2008 Manchester United FC Lost - Chelsea F
    2008 - 2009 FC Barcelona Lost – Manchester United FC

    5 cup winners from La Liga
    Real Madrid 3x champion
    Barcelona 2x champion

    4 cup winners from Seira A
    AC Milan 3x champion
    Juventus 1x champion

    Premier League (this league is just above over the Bundesliga by just 1 cup that is it...)
    Manchester United FC 2x champion
    Liverpool FC 1x champion

    2 cup winners from Bundesliga
    BV Borussia Dortmund 1x champion
    FC Bayern München 1x champion

    Ligue 1
    Olympique de Marseille 1x champion

    Eredivisie
    AFC Ajax 1x champion

    The EPL fans can only talk only about the last 4 years that how far there memories just takes them. Please look at the full 17 years and compare what league has done GREAT and what league is overrate in both the domestic and UEFA cups… CHAMPION LEAGUE.

    Spain and Italy is by far the best league in relation to the 17 years of existing so please Altidore is going to a overrated EPL league and a weak butt ass team…
  11. BEC
    16. Posted by BEC Mon Aug 17 9:46am EDT

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    Have your say guys..... Man U will always live upto the "challenge"...! Its upto the other F. Clubs to prove otherwise. Man U lets do it again guys!!! The race has just stated.
  12. Muhamad Anas Bin Aiderus
    15. Posted by Muhamad Anas Bin Aiderus Mon Aug 17 8:55am EDT

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    man u the loosseeeRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!
  13. <i>mugalua</i>
    14. Posted by mugalua Mon Aug 17 8:45am EDT

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    Its always been a fashion 4 man u 2 win trophies i dnt see any difficult doing the same again be it with out Ronaldo
  14. Joshua Rocco C
    13. Posted by Joshua Rocco C Mon Aug 17 8:09am EDT

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    Rooney looks such a spanner with his ears! hahaha glory! glory! Man Utd! go 4 in a row!
  15. Osmund
    12. Posted by Osmund Mon Aug 17 7:04am EDT

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    Man United is ready for another league title. I know Fergie believes in the current player wearing the number 7 jersey; Michael Owen. With or without Ronaldo, United will still shine.
  16. Mansir
    11. Posted by Mansir Mon Aug 17 4:38am EDT

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    Good day , this is a good begining from the red devils players and it shows the red will do better this season, because most of the people especially in Nigeria ,they are thinking that with out Ronaldo manchester will not perforem well its not true . The reds will lift the premier trophy this season again - From Mansir Jigawa, Nigeria.
  17. keletso
    10. Posted by keletso Mon Aug 17 4:37am EDT

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    Ronaldolism if I am call it, one thing the football community is forgetting is that CR Ronaldo was not playing alone, he playd with the likes of Rooney, Giggs etc. Huk most of the times he wasn't a team player so i dn't MU will disper fault of him being gone. Wish our lads a gone season VIVA MU.
  18. keletso
    9. Posted by keletso Mon Aug 17 4:37am EDT

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    Ronaldolism if I am call it, one thing the football community is forgetting is that CR Ronaldo was not playing alone, he playd with the likes of Rooney, Giggs etc. Huk most of the times he wasn't a team player so i dn't MU will disper fault of him being gone. Wish our lads a gone season VIVA MU.
  19. Mansir
    8. Posted by Mansir Mon Aug 17 4:36am EDT

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    Good day , this is a good begining from the red devils players and it shows the red will do better this season, because most of the people especially in Nigeria ,they are thinking that with out Ronaldo manchester will not perforem well its not true . The reds will lift the premier trophy this season again
  20. Kisaka Ronny
    7. Posted by Kisaka Ronny Mon Aug 17 2:30am EDT

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    This season man u will have to prove to others that they can do without ronaldo.the only thig that keeps me more worried are the injuries of good players.i hope we shall retain the epl title.
  21. jose
    6. Posted by jose Mon Aug 17 2:02am EDT

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    man u would probably do a lot better if Valencia starts and plays the whole game...who agrees with me? imagine nani on one wing and valencia on the other...two fast players would kill real bad
  22. kingtoodles
    5. Posted by kingtoodles Mon Aug 17 1:07am EDT

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    20 goals for mr rooney? ok, 1 down, 19 to go! as for owen, i'm sure he will score 1 or 2,hopefully more than that but i am sure, he won't kare once he scores a goal, in any competion!!, heck the season is long & so many thingz can happen between now & may!! anyway man u for the title(u know it's right!) any bets if any of the top 4 (ok, 3!) can go undefeated?or is that pushing it?
  23. Ephraim
    4. Posted by Ephraim Mon Aug 17 12:03am EDT

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    Ronaldo is gone and extinct to Man U.
  24. willy^^
    3. Posted by willy^^ Sun Aug 16 11:29pm EDT

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    Greattt rooneyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
  25. Philip
    2. Posted by Philip Sun Aug 16 10:55pm EDT

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    winning is the best way of man utd to avoid media critics which saying that man utd is recently out of ronaldo then lack of offenses...huhu
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