Manchester United's hopes of a golden run-in to the season were boosted yesterday when scans revealed that Nemanja Vidic did not suffer knee- ligament damage in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
United's medical staff had initially feared that Vidic's season might be over when he fell awkwardly after a seemingly innocuous aerial challenge. The Serbian was still on crutches at the training ground yesterday, but tests showed he should be available again in "two to three weeks".
That will be of intense relief to Sir Alex Ferguson, who had described himself as "praying it's nothing serious". Vidic is one of the key members of United's defence and there were genuine fears that he might have ruptured a cruciate ligament.
It means he will miss Sunday's trip to Middlesbrough, the Champions League quarter-final return leg against Roma and a crucial game at home to Arsenal the following Sunday. He has a slim chance of being available for the game at Blackburn on April 19 but the occasion that will be uppermost in Ferguson's thoughts comes four days later when, barring an improbable comeback from Roma, United will be in a Champions League semi-final against either Barcelona or Schalke 04.
Vidic will be concentrating on that date, not least because United are due to play at Chelsea four days afterwards.
Ledley King will play no part in the remainder of Tottenham Hotspur's season after taking advantage of the side's early qualification for Europe by resting a troublesome knee injury in an attempt to return fit for the start of next term.
The centre-half has played only a bit-part role this term, his impact limited to 10 appearances and, in recent weeks, he participated only in the latter stages of the Carling Cup, the Uefa Cup and the league game against Chelsea. His knee - which required surgery last summer - continued to flare up after matches, requiring time for the swelling to subside. That prompted much frustration, not least among the England set-up with the coach, Fabio Capello, keen to assess the centre-back.
He will be denied that opportunity now in either of the summer friendlies, against the United States and Trinidad & Tobago, and must hope that the 27-year-old returns fit and fresh for the new campaign in August.
"My knee is actually feeling good at the moment and there is no inflammation," said King, who has 19 caps. "But we have to look at the bigger picture and accept that this is an ideal point in time to recover further, get the best advice and make sure that I come back fitter. They are six games I could well have taken part in, but we all believe this is worth doing for the longer-term benefit."
