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Manchester United v Marseille: Sir Alex Ferguson fears worst with Nemanja Vidic doubtful for Champions League
Manchester United’s Champions League ambitions could rest on a central defensive pairing of Wes Brown and Chris Smalling on Tuesday with captain Nemanja Vidic struggling to be fit for the last-16 second-leg clash against Marseille.
“Vidic got a knock on Saturday and was getting treatment,” said Ferguson, who is already without calf injury victim Rio Ferdinand. “Hopefully he will be OK. He’s tough enough, but couldn’t train.”
Vidic’s injury is understood to be causing Ferguson serious concern, however, and Brown and Smalling have been prepared to perform alongside each other just nine days after being overrun during the 3-1 Premier League defeat at Liverpool.
United’s defensive problems have been further compounded with Northern Ireland centre-half Jonny Evans still unavailable because of an ankle injury.
Despite the problems, Ferguson has challenged his players to “step up and perform” as they prepare for the prospect of 17 games in 75 days to secure Old Trafford’s second Treble.
Emulating the club’s iconic figures of 1999 might appear unlikely as Ferguson’s current crop face Marseille tonight aiming to overcome the handicap of failing to score an away goal in last month’s 0-0 first-leg at Stade Velodrome.
Yet United approach the final 10 weeks of the season sitting at the top of the Premier League with an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on the horizon and, save for an encounter with Barcelona on the road to Wembley, a fighting chance of progressing to the national stadium for the Champions League final on May 28.
Three Premier League defeats in a month have left United looking less than invincible, but Ferguson senses an opportunity for his players to take control of their destiny.
Marseille, whose cagey counter-attacking tactics will ensure a nervy night at Old Trafford, are not of the calibre of some of the teams United could have encountered at this stage and Ferguson will expect his players to overcome the French champions.
But while United’s domestic rivals begin to feel the strain of a suffocating fixture list, Ferguson will not allow fear and fatigue to infect his squad just when silverware begins to loom into view.
“The team needs to step up and needs to perform to win the league.” Ferguson said. “It’s an important time, with being involved in three tournaments. But we are experienced enough to do what we’re doing at the moment, taking each game as it comes.
“The focus is on Marseille at the moment because they’re a good team. With these European games at Old Trafford on a midweek night, there’s a terrific atmosphere and that does help us. Hopefully it’s that way and we get the result we want.
“But the number of games is a situation we have faced a million times. You have to get on with it.”
Success against Marseille would leave United facing the prospect of a Champions League quarter-final three days before the FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City.
Ferguson and his players might have Barcelona or Bayern Munich as the hors d’ouevres to a Wembley reunion with Carlos Tévez, but it is a demanding workload that Ferguson is determined to embrace.
“It’s an incredible draw,” Ferguson said. “A lot of people thought this would be a better final, but that’s disrespectful to the other teams. That’s taken away from us now, it’s straight forward derby semi-final and it should be a fantastic game.
“The key is to have everyone available and it would be nice to get that. Ji-sung Park is making good progress and we will hopefully have him back by Saturday. Owen Hargreaves started training this morning and, you never know, we could have him available by the end of the season.
“It doesn’t matter how many players you have had injured in the past, the important thing is to have them all available for the run-in. If we have that, then it will increase our chances.”
Dispensing of Marseille is the immediate objective, however. United did little to counter Didier Deschamps’ claim that they lack “fantasy” during a turgid stalemate on the Cote d’Azur, but while they will be more adventurous on home turf, they must guard against conceding an away goal.
Nani’s return to training on Sunday following the gashed shin sustained at Liverpool last week has given Ferguson an unexpected boost, but the Portuguese winger is expected to start on the bench on Tuesday night.
He will be primed to enter the fray at some stage, however, should Marseille confirm Ferguson’s fears by attempting to set a tactical trap for United.
Ferguson said: “We are playing an experienced, powerful Marseille team and we will have to play well. I think they will sit back and try and us hit us on the counter-attack.
“I’ve watched them twice away from home, against Monaco and Rennes, and they showed the qualities we will be up against.
“I felt they played for a 0-0 over there, I must admit, but maybe they are the ones who are confident.”
Manchester United have won five out of nine European ties in which the first leg away from home has been goalless. The most notable wins were:
1999-2000 (CL qtr-finals)
Real Madrid 0 Man Utd 0; Man Utd 2 Real Madrid 3
2007-2009 (CL semi-finals)
Barcelona 0 Man Utd 0; Man Utd 1 Barcelona 0
2008-2009 (CL last 16)
Inter Milan 0 Man Utd 0; Man Utd 2 Inter Milan 0