Veron flight annoys Fergie

ALEX FERGUSON has been left to curse the international fixture list as he faced the prospect of embarking on a three-week Premiership salvation mission without £28.1 million midfielder Juan Veron.

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.