Manchester United’s chances of bypassing Real Madrid in the
second leg of their Champions League tie have taken a severe blow after
defensive midfielder, Phil Jones, limped off the Old Trafford pitch on Monday
night.
Up against a spirited Reading side, United had to work hard
for their victory in the FA Cup fifth round and Sir Alex Ferguson took a gamble
in resting a number of his stars.
One man to survive the cull was Jones – who once again
proved an integral part of United’s team – and had played his role well until
the 40th minute, when Jobi McAnuff pounced on a miss-control and the
two players collided.
Unfortunately, Jones came out far worse than his opponent
and a scan on Tuesday revealed damage to his ankle. There is now serous concern
he will not be fit for the Real Madrid clash next week, a major hurdle in
Ferguson’s plans to take apart the Spanish giants.
For Jones put in a man of the match performance in Madrid
last Wednesday and, were it not for his determination to cover open ground,
Real would have created many more chances than they did.
He also proved his worth for the team during United’s 2-0
win over Everton three days before, setting an example to many other Premier
League midfielders on how to man-mark Marouane Fellaini out of the game.
His loss would be a severe blow for Ferguson, who must find
a replacement to cover the back four. Anderson has never proven quite up to it,
meaning Michael Carrick will be trusted to holding that position just above the
defence.
Carrick has the ability and concentration to fulfil this
role but there is always the danger he will stray forward, forgetting his
duties. Hopefully, United don’t need too much cover to outscore Real on the
night, but with Jones out there is a weakness for Ronaldo and co. to exploit.
United are 13/7 with Betfair Football to overcome Madrid. Check out the latest odds, tips, and
news for the Champions League at http://betting.betfair.com/football/fa-cup/.
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