Ferdinand adds to Manchester United injury crisis

AFP - 22 April 2007 02:32

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson leaves the field at the end of the 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough after their English Premiership football match at Old Trafford , Manchester, North-west England, 21 April, 2007.

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson is facing a growing injury crisis after Rio Ferdinand was ruled out of next week's Champions League semi-final against AC Milan.

England defender Ferdinand lasted just 45 minutes of United's 1-1 home draw with Middlesbrough before being forced out of the action with a recurrence of a groin problem that sidelined him for the recent victory over Sheffield United.

And the centre-back is now set to miss both legs of the clash with AC Milan - and with Gary Neville and Nemanja Vidic also missing, the United manager admits he is fast running out of defensive options during the final weeks of the campaign.

Kieran Richardson also pulled up during the Boro clash adding his name to an injury list that also includes Ji-Sung Park, Louis Saha and young defender Craig Cathcart.

Ferdinand is expected to return in time for the decisive Premiership meeting with Chelsea on May 9, but Ferguson admitted: "We are down to the bare bones.

"We are playing with 12 players now with Rio and Richardson injured today.

"I expect Patrice Evra to be back on Tuesday but that's only one extra. And the young bot Cathcart is out for the season after getting injured in training.

"So we really don't have many defenders.

"I don't think Rio's is a long term injury. I think he will be out for two weeks but he should be back for the Chelsea game.

"Vidic is doing some good training and goes back for another scan a week on Monday and that needs to be cleared before we can attempt to play him."

But Ferguson added: "It's not a time for feeling sorry for ourselves. It's time to show what we are made of. It's been well documented in the history of our football club that we do it the hard way anyway.

"We have to restore the players energies for Tuesday because it is a massive game for them and it's a game they should enjoy."

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has admitted he does not yet know whether he will be able to extend Jonathan Woodgate's stay at the club.

Woodgate is currently nearing the end of a season-long loan from Real Madrid and his immediate future has yet to be resolved.

"I don't know what Real Madrid want to do and I cn only reiterate what we want to do," Southgate said.

"I know he is an ambitious player but I am also ambitious and we have to show to him that the club's ambitions match his own.

"He knows where I want to take the club and I hope Jonathan can stay here with us."