LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) – Manchester United defender
Nemanja Vidic will be fit for the start of the new Premier
League season, manager Alex Ferguson said on Tuesday.
Vidic did not travel with the squad for a pre-season tour in
South Africa but Ferguson said the Serb was stepping up his
training schedule after recovering from a ruptured cruciate knee
ligament he suffered in a Champions League game last December.
“Vidic will start the season. I am sure of that. He’s doing
good amounts of training but not in the competitive sense in the
way the lads out here have done,” Ferguson told United’s website
(www.manutd.com).
United’s title bid was hampered by defensive injuries last
season but Ferguson was also optimistic on the prospects of
Chris Smalling recovering from a groin injury in time for the
opening game of the season away at Everton on Aug. 20.
“Chris Smalling has actually done a bit of training. But the
ruptured groin muscle he suffered needed a lot of attention.
He’s making progress and we expect him to start the season,” the
Scot said.
Jonny Evans also missed the South Africa trip after having
an operation.
“I’m not sure he’ll start the season but he won’t be far
away,” Ferguson said.
United face AmaZulu in Durban on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by John O’Brien)
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