Man Utd injuries put youngster on brink of Premiership

Mancheter United’s defensive injury curse looks set to force Alex Ferguson into handing rookie full-back Phil Bardsley his first Premiership start at Sunderland on Saturday.

Although Old Trafford officials have yet to release details of the precautionary scan Kieran Richardson was forced to undergo on a thigh injury picked up on international duty with England, it seems unlikely the Londoner will be fit for the trip to Wearside.

With Gary Neville, Gabriel Heinze, Wes Brown and Quinton Fortune already missing, Ferguson has little alternative other than to draft Bardsley in at right-back and move John O’Shea, who came through the Republic of Ireland’s disappointing goalless draw with Switzerland unscathed, back across to the left full-back role.

Ferguson has confirmed Brown is now back in training after his latest knee injury, with a reserve team comeback pencilled in for next Thursday night against Middlesbrough.

However, given the luckless defender’s injury-ravaged record in recent seasons, Ferguson will be cautious about rushing Brown back too quickly, so Bardsley is likely to get his chance.

The 20-year-old Salford-born defender impressed on his first senior start in the Champions League against Benfica last month and helped reinforce the United defence on his introduction against Fulham on October 1.

Now he looks set to be handed the task of subduing Andy Welsh as United start the onerous task of hauling back Chelsea’s imposing 10-point lead.

Depending on the seriousness of Richardson’s injury, Ferguson is unlikely to be too impressed that his young charge was allowed to train by Eriksson on Tuesday despite being forced to limp out on Monday’s session.

Notoriously aggrieved at the demands international combat places on his players, the United boss will be furious if he suspects Richardson has not been cared for properly.

Ferguson has so far kept his counsel on the matter, although Eriksson has admitted the problem first surfaced on Monday, two days after Richardson had picked up his fourth cap in the win over Austria.

“Kieran had to stop training after 45 minutes on Monday and the same thing happened on Tuesday,” said Eriksson.

“He was very keen to stay involved but we are qualified and we told him it was better that he should find out what the problem is, otherwise he would have been on the bench or on the pitch.”

If Ferguson’s defence picks itself, the Scot has more choices in attacking positions, although it is unlikely he will leave star man Wayne Rooney out again as he did against Blackburn three weeks ago.

Ferguson reasoned that because Rooney was suspended for the Benfica Champions League encounter, it was better to allow a new face some time to bed into the side.

The move backfired badly, with Blackburn claiming all three points, so even though Rooney will again be missing when Lille visit Old Trafford on Tuesday, the 19-year-old is certain to be in United’s starting line-up on Wearside.

Of more interest is whether Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo remain on the bench, as they did at Fulham.

It would represent a bold move by Ferguson but given Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-sung were outstanding in the win at Craven Cottage, it does seem a distinct possibility.

Park has found his first few competitive outings in England tough going after impressing on United’s pre-season tour.

But the former PSV Eindhoven star had a hand in all three Red Devils goals at Fulham, including a superb disguised through ball for Rooney’s effort.

And the South Korean feels he is now getting to grips with the high tempo of Premiership combat.

“The speed of the game is the difference I first noticed in England compared to Holland,” he said.

“The game is quick in Holland but it is even quicker here and the games are more physical too.

“In terms of standard, at PSV it was high but the overall standard in England is higher.”