Manchester United's injury-blighted season has continued with the news that Anderson will miss the remainder of the campaign after suffering the injury that footballers fear the most, rupturing his cruciate knee ligaments, and Rio Ferdinand was ruled out for another two games, including the second leg of the Champions League tie against Milan.
Anderson faces a minimum six months on the sidelines, automatically ending his chances of winning his place back in the Brazil national squad ahead of the World Cup. The midfielder twisted his knee eight minutes into the 3-0 defeat of West Ham United on Tuesday, his first match back in the team after being frozen out of the squad for the previous seven games because of a fallout with the manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.
"The really bad news is that Anderson has suffered a cruciate knee injury and he'll be out for rest of the season," Ferguson reported. "It's unfortunate for the boy, a bad blow. He stretched to pass the ball and his knee just popped. It's a bad bit of bad news for him because he was just getting back into the first team after being out for a few weeks. He was looking forward to it and he was showing great energy in the match.
"He needs an operation and that will be done in two weeks' time when the swelling has gone down. Hopefully, six months should have him about right for the new season. But it is a blow to us, particularly with the Milan game coming up, because Michael Carrick is suspended for that one."
Ryan Giggs, with a broken arm, will also be missing on 10 March as United look to safeguard their 3-2 win from the first leg in San Siro, but at least Ferguson knows it is not an injury that will trouble the reigning footballer of the year in the future, whereas Ferdinand's back problems are becoming such a recurring issue it is less straightforward predicting when he will be able to play again.
Already ruled out of Sunday's Carling Cup final against Aston Villa and what would have been his first game as England's new captain when Egypt visit Wembley on Wednesday, the latest diagnosis is that Ferdinand is unlikely to be available in the game at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday week or the Milan tie four days later.
"It is a blow for us because I was looking forward to having Ferdinand and Vidic back [against West Ham] on Tuesday," Ferguson said. "Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. You never know with back injuries and we have been through this before, but we don't think it is too serious. I don't think he will be fit for the AC Milan game but I don't think it will be long afterwards. We think he could be back in two weeks."
