Injury problems deepen

United are facing an injury crisis of epic proportions, and not just in defence, with Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov joining an ever-increasing list of players on the treatment table.

There was a further blow to the Reds' rearguard with news that John O'Shea and Jonny Evans will both be out until the New Year.

Sir Alex took a depleted Reds squad to Germany for United's final Group B game with Wolfsburg - a 19-man group containing 13 midfielders.

The United boss first faces a headache trying to select a team to tackle the German champions, but also has an eye on an ever more tricky league tie with Aston Villa on Saturday.

United hope Wes Brown (hamstring) and Nemanja Vidic (flu) will replenish the Reds' decimated defence. But the injury problems don't stop there. Neither Rooney (hamstring) nor Berbatov (knee) travelled to Germany and both men are doubtful to play against Villa.

"As we've explained with Rio Ferdinand, we don't have a time schedule for him, and John O'Shea and Jonny Evans are both out until January. They’re out for a few weeks, and they're the major injuries as it stands.

"Rafael and Fabio will certainly not [feature against Villa]. We're hoping that we can have Wes Brown fit for Saturday. But it's a strain and it won't be an easy one."

There was some good news in that Ryan Giggs, also missing from the group that travelled to Wolfsburg, will be fit for Saturday. But the news regarding Berbatov and Rooney is less positive.

"We left Ryan behind because we’ve been playing him in one game a week and that has worked for us. He is fit for Saturday, but Berbatov and Rooney are both doubtful."

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Seriously! You can build a respectable team with our injured players right now! I feel like we now have more injured players than fit players! Out of our 3 first team strikers, don't you think it's ironic that Michael Owen is the one that's fit?