This month came the disappointing and sad news that Man United midfielder Darren Fletcher has been forced to take a prolonged break from football due to a serious illness.
The Scotland captain, one of the Champions’ hardest working and committed players, has an inflammatory bowel disease and has taken medical advice to put health ahead of football and take some time out to get the condition under control.
It is heartbreaking news for Fletcher and you can be sure he’ll be fighting tooth and nail to get himself back on track and raring to go once again. Not only is it sad news for a genuinely likeable player, it’s also a huge blow to United’s title chances. And boy, do the men in red need a boost right now.
On the surface, all seems relatively rosy – they’re hot on the tails of early pacesetters and neighbours Man City and have been racking up wins despite indifferent performances. But an early and unexpected exit from the Chamions League has cost the club at least £20 million in TV money and there are key players missing from the squad as the Premier League table starts to take shape.
In addition to Fletcher’s absence, captain and defensive stalwart Nemanja Vidic is also currently sidelined for the season after damaging three major ligaments in his right knee in the 2-1 defeat at FC Basel in Man United’s last Champions League game. These are two very important players for the Champions and they will be conspicuous by their absence, no doubt about it
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As previously mentioned, Fletcher, 27, is one the most hard-working members of United’s current squad. His immense work rate and all-action style of play is symptomatic of what the club builds its success on. With him missing from the centre of the park, who is there to replace him? Anderson and Carrick are both different players who bring a number of qualities to the table – Anderson is full of energy and industry and Carrick is intelligent and passes the ball well. But can they step up to the plate when the chips are down? It remains to be seen.
With Vidic missing from the back four, it’s now up to Jonny Evans to try and prove his worth once again. He will be looking to banish the demons of the 6-1 home defeat to Man City, a game in which he was sent off and was generally given the run-around by City’s dynamic forwards. He will need to quickly adopt a strong working partnership with Rio Ferdinand and with the latter reaching the tail-end of his career, there is no better time for the Northern Irish international to prove his worth.
As we head into a congested winter period, it will be interesting to see how Man United’s squad deals with an intense run of fixtures. This time of the year is normally when the Red Devils show their mettle; they know how to grind out results and Ferguson has always utilised his squad well to deal with fixture congestion. The transfer window is set to open in a couple of weeks and with Man City continuing to set the pace, he will need to invest wisely to deal with the title challenge.
I said at the start of the season ‘Write United off at your peril’ and that opinion will remain. However, you can’t overstate the importance of players such as Fletcher and Vidic to the United cause. Players of a similar ilk must be brought in next month in order for United to keep up with the pacesetters.
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