Vidic boost enough for Ferguson

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is ready to welcome Nemanja Vidic back to his starting line-up and would be satisfied if the Serbian was the only man available to ease his injury-ravaged defence.

In total, Ferguson was without 14 senior men for last night’s Champions League encounter with Wolfsburg, eight of them defenders.

Yet the Red Devils made light of the handicap, beating the German champions 3-1 at the Volkswagen Arena thanks to Michael Owen’s hat-trick.

Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher joined Patrice Evra in an unrecognisable three-man defence and the midfielders seem set to remain in post as Wes Brown’s hamstring injury is not responding to treatment.

Yet Ferguson is unconcerned about the on-going problems, even though high-flying Aston Villa visit Old Trafford on Saturday.

“I expect Vidic to be fit and if he is available we would have him and Michael Carrick, plus Darren Fletcher and Patrice Evra,” he said. “I would be happy enough with that.”