NEMANJA VIDIC IN NEW KO BLOW

[RoterTeufel]

NEMANJA VIDIC IN NEW KO BLOW

MANCHESTER UNITED captain Nemanja Vidic will miss the next two months of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Vidic’s latest injury is to the same right knee he hurt last December, which kept him out for the rest of the season.

The 30-year-old has made only five appearances since returning to action. He missed Sunday’s 2-1 win at Liverpool after complaining of stiffness around his knee.

After a further examination, the Serbia star underwent a cartilage operation. “Nemanja has had a meniscus operation on his right knee and will be out for around eight weeks,” said the club.

Vidic missed the second half of last season after rupturing his cruciate ligament in the shock Champions League defeat to Basel.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted the centreback is key to United’s hopes of reclaiming title.

However, Vidic will not be missing until as least mid-November, ruling him out of seven Premier League matches and four Champions League games.

United are already without crocked England defensive duo Phil Jones (knee) and Chris Smalling (foot).

Neither are expected to return to action before the mid-October international break, leaving United short of defensive cover.

Vidic’s absence means Fergie has little option but to stick with Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans, who has only just returned from a long spell out himself with an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Darren Fletcher will tonight start his first match for United since November.

The Scotland midfielder, 28, has been suffering with a chronic bowel disorder.

But after coming on as a substitute against Galatasaray last week, Ferguson will use him from the start at home to Newcastle in the Capital One Cup.

He said: “It’s a big one for him. He is handling the condition at the moment.

“It is a matter of hoping the condition stays dormant. He is handling his diet well.

“Newcastle is the perfect game for him to start back. Then we have the Premier League game against Tottenham and he could be involved in that.”