Ferdinand joins Vidić on injured list

Manchester United FC's double glory bid may be undermined from the foundations upwards after Rio Ferdinand joined central defensive partner Nemanja Vidić on the sidelines.

Scan result
The England player injured his left foot during the 2-2 Premier League draw at Middlesbrough FC on Sunday, although United have been able to rule out a broken metatarsal after a scan today. What remains unclear, however, is the length of time the 29-year-old will be unavailable for.

Trouble at the top
With Vidić already signed off for three weeks with a left knee injury sustained at AS Roma on 1 April, United will be loath to lose Ferdinand for a similar period. Sir Alex Ferguson saw his team's lead in the English table cut to three points by Chelsea FC at the weekend, and they now face tricky fixtures against Arsenal FC, Blackburn Rovers FC and Chelsea. In addition, should they complete a quarter-final victory over Roma in the UEFA Champions League – they are 2-0 up from the away leg – United have a semi-final scheduled for 22/23 April.