Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Fergie's Chelsea warning
SIR Alex Ferguson today warned United to expect an aerial bombardment in Sunday's match of the season against Chelsea. Fergie has identified the free-scoring league leaders' aerial threat as the biggest danger to his creaking defence in the top-of-the- table clash at Stamford Bridge. The United manager is increasingly concerned by his porous rearguard that has been shown up on a number of occasions already this season. And after seeing the ease with which Vasili Berezutsky struck from a set piece in the 3-3 draw with CSKA Moscow on Tuesday - Ferguson has warned his side to expect more of the same against Chelsea. He said: "Leaving space like that was not like us. It is the first goal we've conceded from a set piece for nearly a year. "But it is a nice warning ahead of Chelsea because, come Sunday, they will have a lot of set pieces against us." Ferguson will know it is not just from free kicks and corners that his side have looked suspect this season. Individual errors from Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Ben Foster have all contributed to a leaky backline that couldn't be in more contrast to the side that went a record 14 consecutive Premier League games last season without conceding. Problem Ferdinand is expected to miss out again on Sunday because of his calf problem and if Vidic also fails to recover from a calf injury, it will leave Jonny Evans and Wes Brown as the men charged with the responsibility of keeping in form Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka quiet. Evans and Brown can at least expect more support from their midfield than they received on Tuesday, with Ferguson admitting it was his open tactics that allowed CSKA to cut through United time and again. That was my fault, he said. I wanted to try a more open formation and could do so because we were in such a comfortable position in the group. Gary Neville has his own reason for United's defensive frailties of late ¦ constant changes of personnel. We had to change our keeper for the opening two months of the season, then Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have been injured. Before that it was Wes Brown. It means more changes than the manager would like. He wants a consistent back four, which is what we have had for two or three seasons. We definitely want to improve defensively and once we settle into our stride I am sure we will become better.
