Considering all of Manchester United’s defensive problems over recent months, the last thing supporters needed was another long-term absentee. However, it looks as though Nemanja Vidic could be set to miss yet more football, with the Serbian set for an eight week spell on the treatment table after undergoing surgery for a knee problem.
There were several raised eyebrows when the 30-year-old missed the game against Liverpool at the weekend, although it was soon confirmed that the player was once again struggling for fitness. As it turns out, the suspicions have been worse than first anticipated and Vidic is unlikely to play before the end of November at the earliest.
Such news will come as a blow for all concerned, especially after the former Spartak Moscow centre-half missed five months of the 2011/12 season through another knee problem. There’s no doubt that the team look significantly weaker in his absence and the fact that he seems so susceptible to such problems must be a concern to Sir Alex Ferguson.
Announcing the news, a club statement read, “Nemanja Vidic has had a meniscus operation on his right knee and will be out for around eight weeks. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson rested Vidic as a precautionary measure at the weekend after he complained of tightness in his knee. However, further medical investigation revealed the underlying problem. The central defender was operated on this week and will be sidelined for about eight weeks.”
Ferguson will certainly be cursing his luck following this latest setback, with the Red Devils already without two other defenders in the form of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling. The former has been struggling with a knee problem since earlier this month, while a broken metatarsal is the reason that former Fulham defender Smalling is unable to feature.