Forced changes weaken defence - Neville

Published: 05 Nov 2009 - 15:26:00

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Gary Neville has claimed Manchester United's defensive frailties can be explained away by their constant changes of personnel. After last season's record-breaking feats, when they kept 14 successive Premier League clean sheets, United have been strangely vulnerable this term. Tuesday's six-goal Champions League thriller with CSKA Moscow was the second time they have conceded three goals in a game, while their seven shut-outs in all competitions this term represents less than a 50% success rate in keeping the opposition out. Neville accepts there is an issue to address. But he is convinced once Sir Alex Ferguson is able to select a settled back-four again, normal service will be resumed. "We are interchanging the defence too regularly at the moment because of injuries and it has caused us a problem," he said. "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."