Premier League - Fears grow over Rio fitness

Reuters - Fri, 06 Nov 11:47:00 2009

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, whose form for club and country has been under close scrutiny this season, will miss the visit to Premier League leaders Chelsea amid growing fears over his fitness.

2009-10 Premier League Manchester United Rio Ferdinand - 0

United manager Alex Ferguson, who marked his 23rd anniversary in charge of the club on Friday, said that experts have been unable to pinpoint the nature of a calf injury which has sidelined the defender for the last two weeks.

"We don't know exactly where the calf injury is coming from," Ferguson said. "Whether it is coming from the lower back, whether it is a nerve thing.

"But calf injuries are normally two to three weeks and he is showing no sign of recovering from that injury. We're looking at the whole situation, whether it is coming from the back or not, but in the meantime he is out. There is no improvement so obviously we are looking at something different."

Ferdinand, who turns 31 on Saturday, has had his form widely questioned after indifferent performances for United and Fabio Capello's England team so far this season and the potential for an extended spell on the sidelines constitutes a major setback.

Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic has been passed fit for the clash with Chelsea, along with midfielder Darren Fletcher who has recovered from a minor injury collected in the midweek Champions League draw against CSKA Moscow.

Ferguson, 67, would like nothing more than to mark his anniversary at Old Trafford with a rare victory at Stamford Bridge, his club having failed to win there in the last seven visits. Chelsea top the standings on 27 points from 11 matches, two ahead of second-placed United.

The Scot is clearly relishing the challenge of what is viewed by many as a possible title decider, despite his longevity in the job.

"I don't think so," said Ferguson when asked whether his desire is lessening with the years. "Whether other people judge it differently, I don't know.

"But in the main, I have been lucky. I have had my health and that's all you can be thankful for. As you get older, there are different deteriorations in health, maybe small things, you can't avoid it. But, as I say, I have been lucky.

"Chelsea is a big game and, hopefully, we can improve our record down there because it has not been good the last six years or so. I think the players realise it is a big game and their performance is going to be important."

Reuters

Comment 18 - 37 of 37

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  1. bodo ferdinand ni jual je maen pon tah pape

    From aufacr7, on Sat 7 Nov 7:16AM

  2. Whatever happens, don't give Rio a brain­ scan............

    From mambles, on Sat 7 Nov 5:16AM

  3. tevez(you argie_c.unt)...
    Your Highness has only this­ to say to­ you....

    ............../´¯/)...........(­­­­­­ \¯`\
    ............/....//...........­­­­­­ ...\\....\
    .........../....//............­­­ ­ ­ ­ ....\\....­­­­­­ \
    ...../´¯/..../´¯\.........../¯­­­­­­ `\....\¯`\­­­­
    .././.../..../..../.|_......_|­­ .\....\...­­­­ .\...\.\. ­­­­­
    (.(....(....(..../.)..)..(..(;­­ \....)....­­­­­­ )....).)
    .\................\/.../....\.­­­­­ ­ ..\/......­ ........../
    ..\.................­­­­­­ /........\................../ ­­­­­­
    ....\..............(.......... ..).......­­­­­­ ......./

    From Those Rats likes Bin dippin for free Cheeseburger, on Sat 7 Nov 3:13AM

  4. Hey Tevez why don't you go an play on bitter blue­ site you cretin. Your slandering of Rio Ferduinand has­ been passed on. Watch your back from now on. As I­ stated earlier Rio Ferdinand has nebver been convicted­ of a drugs offence. If you have proof to the contrary­ please pass it on to the Football Drug testing­ authorities. If not shuit your stupid blue rent boy­ hole up. Anyway shouldn't you be out on Canal­ Street earning enough to go and watch the bitters at­ the Council House. Older, more decent city fans say you­ are scum and that they hate scumbags like you as much­ as we Reds do. You're an outcast, rent boy so go­ find your next trick.

    From redgeoff, on Fri 6 Nov 11:13PM

  5. Hey daz you comment at 18, just proves to the readers­ on here how low your inteligence is . take easy ,­ loser!

    From TEVEZ, on Fri 6 Nov 11:01PM

  6. RANT, RANT, RANT, GO ON DAZ!

    From TEVEZ, on Fri 6 Nov 10:58PM

  7. Who doe,s slur alex think he,s kidding, this geezer has­ been shoving @#$% up his nose for years.. now ,now daz­ take it easy. how,s the weather in scumchester?­ dazmanutd , you have definately lost it this time. just­ take it easy mate. and remember never trust a­ sniffer not even a Rioformed one! he,s been at it for­ years along with one or two others at OLDTOILET! SEE YA­ MATE!

    From TEVEZ, on Fri 6 Nov 10:56PM

  8. hey daz , you,ve lost it AGAIN, !

    From TEVEZ, on Fri 6 Nov 10:49PM

  9. Is it true that old jock strap has already booked eight­ minuets added time in the chelsea match with the FA ?

    From john, on Fri 6 Nov 8:13PM

  10. something stinks at Old Toilet

    From tom h, on Fri 6 Nov 7:06PM

  11. Mighty Red fans the best in the world.Loyalty prevails­ whatever.How can you imagin a loyal Mighty Red fan to­ leave.NEVER.Even Owen is ashame sometimes and have much­ regrets

    From Michael, on Fri 6 Nov 6:12PM

  12. Nice to have you back amougst us Daz me old mate!!

    From stuartxland, on Fri 6 Nov 5:58PM

  13. stoned again

    From bangkokblue, on Fri 6 Nov 5:47PM

  14. dazmanutd is a closet scouser he loves scousers with a­ passion u can catch him begging from his cardboard box­ home for his fare to liverpool he bums for scraps and­ is a baggy a rsed biiatch.if no one acknowledges him he­ goes into a fit and sulks for the rest of the evening­ in between servicing other tramps in gaychester.his­ football knowledge is 2nd to none and he is always­ right lol (as if).depending on wot mood he is in­ depends on which team he defends.he likes to be known­ as dazmancureatwat or canalstbumbandit.any food­ donations or spare change for him will be accepted­ generously.

    From imstarving20, on Fri 6 Nov 5:45PM

  15. Tevez and gglynes cut the slander or get off this page­ you pair of scumbags. As posted below, Ferdinand hasa­ long standing back problem. Like every Manchester­ United he player he is drug tested at least three times­ per season and once in the off season. If he was doing­ any sort of drug it would show up either as the drug of­ choice or as a masking agent. As Ferdinand has never­ been convicted of drug use or possession and has never­ been punished by the FA for either you have no right to­ slander him. His over the top suspension was for­ missing two drug tests. Christine Ohorugo missed three­ and has been rehabilitated by the media and BAA. Its­ time to let the missed drug tests myths go boys and­ girls. Ferdinand is ionnocent unless proven guilty by a­ positive drugs test! End of story.

    From redgeoff, on Fri 6 Nov 5:39PM

  16. Michael, maybe you will decide to join us at United,­ because I don't trust dazmanutd's loyalty­ anymore.

    From Sir Alex Ferguson, on Fri 6 Nov 5:30PM

  17. dazmanutd, So nice to have you back supporting us, why­ did you change back, was there something wrong with­ Chelsea?

    From Sir Alex Ferguson, on Fri 6 Nov 5:25PM

  18. Am a stunch Mighty Red fan,I hate ManU but I support­ all EPL teams including ManU only during Champions­ League against a non-EPL.Im a big England fan so I will­ in SA,but to me Ferdinand has depreciated to go along­ with others to SA including James.Maybe we should work­ hard with Foster to go there

    From Michael, on Fri 6 Nov 5:24PM

  19. I'm going to have to bin him, he's well past­ his sell buy date, and his legs are shot!

    From Sir Alex Ferguson, on Fri 6 Nov 5:23PM

  20. HE'S THE BIGGEST SHITHOUSE DEFENDER IN THE­ PREM-HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTING AS EMBARRASSING AS WHEN­ HE WAS RUNNING SCARED OF DUNCAN FERGUUSON THAT TIME AT­ GOODISON? WHAT A BOTTLER! DIDIER'S GOT HIM SPOOKED­ AND HE SHOULDN'T BE ON THE SAME PITCH AS A HALF FIT­ FERNANDO TORRES. COME ON CHELSEA!

    From gglynes, on Fri 6 Nov 5:17PM
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