Ferdinand says humiliation will drive United on

RIO FERDINAND has said Manchester United must accept the ridicule that will accompany their demotion into the Europa League, and ensure their humiliating Champions League exit has a galvanising effect on the defence of their Premier League title.

Ferdinand was speaking as fears heightened over the injury sustained by his central defensive partner Nemanja Vidic at Basel.

Vidic’s agent, Silvano Martina, was quoted in Italy as saying the defender had sustained cruciate ligament damage and would be out for several months.

United are likely to confirm the extent of the injury today and a lengthy absence for Vidic would heighten the dismay at the club.

United veered from Champions League runners-up in May into European football’s second tier for the first time on Wednesday night when beaten 2-1 in Basel, a defeat that prompted criticism of the team’s younger players by the former captain Roy Keane, a staunch defence from Alex Ferguson and claims of a lack of professionalism throughout the campaign from Patrice Evra.

Ferdinand contradicted the assessment that complacency was to blame for United’s third group stage exit in 17 seasons, a view aired by Ferguson and Evra, with the manager restricting his criticism to the second-half performance at home to Basel.

But he admitted the Premier League champions must now be prepared for the derision that will follow them into the Europa League and respond by seeking to lift the trophy in Bucharest next May.

“We have to be prepared, it’s as simple as that,” said Ferdinand. “No matter what gets said, ridiculed or not, we respect the tournament and will go in there to win it. A few weeks ago you guys were saying we had the best young players going.

“You don’t become a bad player in two weeks . . . make your mind up.

“There is no complacency at this club because the manager wouldn’t stand for it, so that’s way off the mark. We are bitterly disappointed and the lads are devastated to have gone out of the tournament.

“We have to look back to the games at Old Trafford when we haven’t finished teams off.”

GuardianService