• Premier League

Vidic fitness boost for United

ESPN staff
July 17, 2012
Nemanja Vidic has been sidelined since December © Getty Images
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Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic will be fit for the start of the season.

The Serbian powerhouse has been sidelined since suffering a serious knee injury in the Champions League in December and it has been slow progress. He confirmed recently that he was hopeful of featuring during pre-season for United and Ferguson has confirmed his defensive lynchpin is on track for the start of the new campaign.

"Vidic will start the season," Ferguson said. "I am sure of that. He's still at that level of doing a good amount of training but not the competitive level that the other lads are at. He's better off staying at Carrington."

Chris Smalling is another United defender making positive strides from his groin injury, but Jonny Evans is unlikely to be fit for the start of the campaign after going under the surgeon's knife.

"Evans has had an operation," Ferguson said at a press conference during United's pre-season trip to South Africa. "I'm not sure he'll start the season but he won't be far away.

"Smalling has done a bit of training. He had a ruptured groin muscle which needed a lot of attention but he's made gradual progress and we expect him to start the season."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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