D Monday, December 7, 2009 METROSPORT 23 Carrick can help solve Fergusons back pains SirAlex Ferguson will ask Michael Carrick to carry on defending to solve one of the worst injury crises of his 23-year Manchester United reign. Carrick came on to replace Gary Neville at centre-back in the 4-0 vic- tory against West Ham at Upton Park at the weekend. And Ferguson wants Carrick, who had never played in central defence before, to demonstrate his all-round talent again by partnering Nemanja Vidic against Wolfsburg in the Cham- pions league tomorrow night. Ferguson expects Vidic to have recovered from a bout of flu but will be without a long line of defenders including rio Ferdinand, Jonny evans, John OShea, Neville, who pulled up with a groin injury on Sat- urday, rafael and Wes Brown, who limped off in the dying minutes. Ferguson said: The injuries in de- fence are becoming a bit of a head- ache to us. Carrick stepped in and did very, very well. i dont know how were going to get a back four together for Tuesday. im hoping Nemanja will be okay and i will probably play Michael Carrick with him in defence. Paul Scholes opened the scoring for Unit- ed with a brilliant strike from the edge of the penalty area on the stroke of half-time. ironically, the former england mid- fielder had hinted he was considering retirement next summer before this game, asking himself whether his contribution to the Old Trafford club was still good enough. Ferguson, however, suggested a new contract might well be on the table when the 35-year-olds current one runs out at the end of the season. The Scot added: Paul Scholes is an incredible player and hes conducting play so well just now. Gary Neville: Groin Nemanja Vidic: Groin Rio Ferdinand: Calf Jonny Evans: Calf John OShea: Thigh Rafael: Limped off against Besiktas on November 25 Fabio: Groin Edwin van der Sar: Knee Wes Brown: Limped off against West Ham on Saturday ON THE DEFENSIVE UNITEDS INJURY LIST Walking wounded: Gary Neville limps off at West Ham Picture: Action Images Hammers hoping to buy in January sales GIANFRANCO ZOLA is hopeful he will not be forced to sell his best players in January as West Hams striker crisis grew on Saturday. With top scorer Carlton Cole already ruled out until the new year by injury, Hammers boss Zola saw his injury problems mount when Zavon Hines limped out of their 4-0 home defeat by Manchester United at half-time. Now the Italian has just Guillermo Franco and the relatively untried pair of Alessandro Diamanti and Frank Nouble at his disposal and joked he may even have to sign on as a player himself. But his main worry will be the transfer window opening again for cash-strapped West Ham and Zola said: As far as I know we will not be under pressure to sell. The club does not want to sell anybody. I stand by that. We will see what happens. Hopefully we are able to buy. Johnson in dig at ugly Blackburn GLEN JOHNSON has accused Blackburn of playing an ugly game very well as Liverpool were held to a dire 0-0 draw at Ewood Park on Saturday. The Reds defender produced the one piece of quality in a dreadful match by surging past four men to set up David Ngog, whose effort crashed against the bar. Johnson, whose side next face a crunch home test against Arsenal next Sunday as they struggle to keep pace with the top four, said: Its always difficult against Blackburn as they dont play much football and launch the ball forward at every opportunity. They play an ugly game very well and play to their strengths. It makes life difficult for the opposition at times. u RAFAEL BENITEZ says Javier Mascherano is discussing a new contract. The midfielder has been linked with Barcelona but Benitez said: The last conversations we had were very positive. BlACKBUrN boss Sam Allardyce admitted he enjoyed his return to work for Saturdays goalless draw against liverpool. The 55-year-old had undergone heart surgery but told radio rovers: Weve kept three clean sheets out of the last four games, when we had kept only one in the first ten games. everything is looking better and better and better, we just want to continue it into a heavy two months. Clean-up lifts Sam AVrAM GrANT put Portsmouths win over Burnley down to a cameo appearance from Kanu. The Nigeria striker came on for the final half-hour of Saturdays 2-0 victory at Fratton Park. Kanu, 33, is more of an impact player these days and, asked why did not start, director of football Grant joked: its very easy hes 55 years old. Hes 60 next year. The israeli added: We need to look for intelligent players like Kanu because in one move he can change the game. Kanu key for Grant Strong opposition: Johnson By maRk cuRtiS SOCCER PREmiER lEaGuE Hodgson makes World Cup pitch for Zamora Hitting back: Zamora FULHAM boss Roy Hodgson put Bobby Zamora forward as a possible England World Cup candidate after his striker silenced his critics with the only goal against Sunderland. Zamora sent Fulham back into the top half of the Premier League with a seventh-minute winner at Craven Cottage, then aimed an angry celebration at his own fans after they criticised him. Maybe he reads too many of these blogs, said Hodgson. Our fans in the Hammersmith end actually constantly chant his name. But these people who write into the clubs blogs, theyre the real experts and they want something hes not been able to give them 30 goals a year. But he is a key player for us. Trinidad & Tobago have sounded out Zamora about playing for them but he is still eligible for England if Fabio Capello chooses. Former Switzerland boss Hodgson compared the 28-year-old to England striker Emile Heskey, an important striker for Capello, adding: Heskey is a very powerful player, a very willing player and a hard-working player. Bobby is more technical. Zamoras header for the winner came from John Pantsils cross, with the striker getting ahead of Phil Bardsley to score. Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Duff, Baird, Greening (Dikgacoi 86), Dempsey, Zamora, Nevland (Gera 67). Booked: Nevland. Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, Ferdinand (Nosworthy 30), Turner, Richardson, Malbranque (Campbell 70), Henderson, Cana, Reid, Bent, Jones (Zenden 73). Booked: Richardson, Bardsley. Referee: Mike Dean fulham 1 SundERland 0 GeOrGe BOATeNG denied Hull are a one-man team after Jimmy Bullard picked up a new injury problem at Aston Villa on Saturday. Since returning to action in October after an eight-month lay-off, the playmaker had spearheaded the Tigers run of two wins and two draws from four matches before the 3-0 defeat at Villa Park. Scans will determine whether Hull will be without the 31-year-old for a lengthy period with another knee problem. But Tigers midfielder Boateng said: Jimmy has been brilliant for us since he has been back [from his last lay-off]. We said in the dressing room lets not think too negatively because we dont know the extent of the injury. Hopefully, it wont be as bad as the other injuries. ive had a few injuries and, as soon as you come back and feel something, you are more insecure. But the good thing about us is that we are not a one-man team and we showed that against everton when we played really well without Jimmy. Boateng: Well handle Bullard loss injury misery: Bullard index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html