Veron flight annoys Fergie
Roy Keane, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt will all miss tomorrow’s Old Trafford showdown with Newcastle through injury and have virtually no chance of making the forthcoming clashes with Liverpool and Arsenal either.
And, with Manchester United’s squad already stretched to breaking point, Ferguson yesterday admitted that he had serious reservations over pitching Veron into the televised encounter after the Argentinian international was forced to fly to the Far East for a midweek win over Japan.
Ferguson is concerned enough about the tiredness Ryan Giggs might be carrying after a six and a half hour return journey from Azerbaijan.
But at least the Welsh winger returned home last night. Veron did not even land in London until this lunchtime and, with a vital Champions League trip to Basle next week, Ferguson admitted his influential midfielder might not start against Sir Bobby Robson’s men.
‘‘Veron had a 17-hour journey back from Japan and I have great doubts about whether we can use him or not,’’ said Ferguson.
‘‘It’s a heck of a schedule, playing an international in Japan at this time of year when you have an important league game with a 12.15 kick-off on the Saturday, followed by a European tie on Tuesday.’’
With Phil Neville also missing through suspension, Ferguson could be forced into abandoning his policy of playing Ruud van Nistelrooy as a lone striker if Veron is not handed a starting berth.
Young Londoner Kieran Richardson was withdrawn during the interval of last night’s reserve team win over Aston Villa and is the most likely replacement, probably in a wide role, with Paul Scholes partnering Quinton Fortune in central midfield. Already nine points behind leaders Arsenal, it is a dilemma Ferguson could well have done without and will not have improved his view on the merits of meaningless friendly internationals.
A barren run of one win in six Premiership outings has led to fresh speculation that Ferguson will enter the transfer marker in January.
United are considering a move for the giant Senegal international midfielder Pape Bouba Diop, according to the player.
Diop, who scored the opening goal of the World Cup finals in the shock 1-0 defeat of holders France, wants to play in the Premiership and has been watched by United representatives at his French club Lens.
The 23-year-old said: ‘‘Manchester United have been watching me regularly.
“They asked me to show them what I can do.
‘‘I said ‘no problem’ and what happens next is down to my agents. All my efforts are put into playing as well as I can. It has been my dream to play in the English league ever since I was a kid. I’ve had a couple of offers but nothing came of them. Still, I’m only 23, I can wait.’’
Diop has already shown he can mix it with the best as Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit came off worst against the midfielder and Liverpool’s equally imposing Salif Diao in the World Cup opener.
Chelsea’s £10 million-rated Eidur Gudjohnsen and Leeds’ currently injured front man Robbie Fowler are also mentioned as possible targets. Whether Ferguson has the money to prize either away from the current clubs is open to question and, unless results improve dramatically over the next month, it will all be irrelevant anyway as the championship will have disappeared over the horizon.
The two crumbs of comfort from last week’s Upton Park showdown were the impressive performance of Fortune in the midfield holding role and the return of Wes Brown after three months on the sidelines with a fractured ankle.
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