Manchester United received a welcome boost last night with the news that Nemanja Vidic is expected to be fit to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow lunchtime as the club prepare for the first of two matches in four days that will define their season.
Vidic missed United’s goalless draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Wednesday after being admitted to hospital with a stomach infection, but the club are confident that he will be available to play in the potential title decider against Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League and the return leg against the Catalan giants at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
The Serbian central defender had eaten only a bowl of soup in the 36 hours leading up to the match against Barcelona and Sir Alex Ferguson had initially cast doubt about his prospects of recovering for the trip to Stamford Bridge, where United will all but retain their league crown if they secure the three points, but he should be restored alongside Rio Ferdinand tomorrow.
Victory would leave Ferguson’s team six points clear of Chelsea with two matches remaining, although United’s vastly superior goal difference is tantamount to an additional point.
Ferguson, nonetheless, is expecting a tough test — Chelsea have not lost at home in 101 domestic matches, excluding a Carling Cup third-round penalty shoot-out defeat by Charlton Athletic in October 2005 — and believes that Avram Grant’s team will be fired up after earning a dramatic 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield in their Champions League semi-final, first leg on Tuesday, courtesy of John Arne Riise’s own goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
With United also holding the initiative over Barcelona, Ferguson can envisage a final against Chelsea in Moscow on May 21, although the league remains his immediate priority. “As far as the second leg is concerned, there is no doubt Chelsea’s morale will have been boosted,” the United manager said. “They have a marvellous chance of getting to Moscow after that away goal. It is still an even game and a tight one to call.”
The same applies to United’s match against Barcelona, in which they require victory to ensure their progress to a first Champions League final for nine years, but Ferguson is optimistic. “Old Trafford will be a cauldron,” he said. “All we have to do is win the match — we won’t disappoint.”
Most eyes at the Nou Camp were on Cristiano Ronaldo, whose third-minute penalty miss provided a rare blemish during a season in which he has plundered 38 goals, but while Ferguson may have been dismayed to hear the Portugal winger reiterating his desire “one day” to play in Spain, the manager will have been impressed with his desire to atone. “If I get another penalty in Manchester, I’ll score,” Ronaldo said. “In Manchester, you’ll see a different performance, but first it’s very important that we win against Chelsea.”
Ronaldo received the backing of his team-mates, who are expecting him to bounce back. “You can forgive him that miss because he’s had such a great season and has been there when we needed him,” Ferdinand said.
Benfica are expected to step up their attempts to appoint Carlos Queiroz, the United assistant manager, as the club’s coach in the coming weeks. United are continuing to monitor the situation of Philipp Lahm after contract talks broke down between the Germany left back and Bayern Munich.
