Fergie offers bleak outlook

• Dead_Man_Inc

  20 Dec 09, 12:00

  Sir Alex Ferguson admitted there was no sign of Manchester United's injury crisis abating following the 3-0 defeat to Fulham.

  Nemanja Vidic's failure to recover from a calf strain saw United field a three-man defence consisting of midfielders Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher and rookie Ritchie de Laet.

  Ferguson has lost seven defenders to the treatment room and he fears for United's title hopes if they stay sidelined for too much longer.

  "The way the league is at the moment I hope today is not too damaging. I hope it doesn't cost us the league," he told MUTV.

  "We'll have to get our defenders back to give us a proper chance of going for the league, there's no question of that. But if we get them back we'll be back in it.

  "The quicker they're back the better. They're doing their best. The medical team and physios are working overtime to get them back.

  "There's no light at the end of the tunnel at the moment, that's for sure."