Source: Telegraph
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand set to miss topofthetable clash with Chelsea
Ferdinand, who will be 31 on Saturday, has been ruled out of United's Champions League fixture at home to CSKA Moscow on Tuesday with the calf problem that forced him to miss last Saturday's victory over Blackburn. [LNB]His defensive partner Nemanja Vidic is struggling with a similar injury and will also miss the CSKA clash but Ferguson suggested he should be OK for the visit to Stamford Bridge. [LNB] Related ArticlesNew father Rooney given night off by FergusonFerguson: Ferdinand will recover from 'blip'Manchester United v CSKA Moscow: match previewMichael Owen talks up England recallWayne Rooney's wife Coleen gives birth to baby boy KaiGary Neville's moaning is tainting his legacyThe England defender's error-ridden performances have prompted criticism of late and Ferguson himself admitted last month that Ferdinand needed to rediscover his form to be sure of a place in England's World Cup squad. However the United manager insists that he has no fears for the £30 million defender's future. [LNB]With the player clearly compromised by a lack of full match fitness in recent games Ferguson concedes that the time has come for Ferdinand to be given time to banish his injury problems once and for all. [LNB]Ferguson said: "Calf injuries can be troublesome and, if you don't give them their proper treatment, you can end up the way we are just now with players playing games when they are not 100 per cent fit. We want them to be 100 per cent fit."[LNB]Ferguson said it was "difficult to say" about Ferdinand's prospects for the Chelsea game. "We are very fortunate to have two players like Wes Brown and Jonny Evans, though. When we bring Wes in, there is no better defender in the country. I have no worries about facing Chelsea on Sunday in terms of Brown and Evans."[LNB]Ferguson is, however, confident that Ferdinand will soon emerge from his difficult period. Ferguson said: "In my time here, we've always had situations where one of the star players hits a little blip and he is going to get criticism. That's all part of being a player at Manchester United and we are all aware of that. [LNB]"No player likes to be criticised. They like to be loved and have arms around their shoulders at times, but Rio will come out of it, there is no question about that. There is no discernible depreciation in his qualities, none at all. Playing with injuries is not the easiest thing to do, we will try to get that right." [LNB]Ferguson will restore Darren Fletcher to the starting line-up to face CSKA following a recent groin injury and the manager admits that the midfielder's return is timely. He said: "Most people now recognise Darren as a big-game player. He has been missed in some key games recently." [LNB]Wayne Rooney will be considered for a starting role on Tuesday night following the birth yesterday of his son Kai. With Dimitar Berbatov nursing a knock on the knee, plans to rest Rooney ahead of Sunday's trip Chelsea could be shelved if the Bulgarian fails to prove his fitness. [LNB]
