Sir Alex looks for cover for inexperienced back four

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Sir Alex Ferguson will consider entering the transfer market after expressing concern last night at an injury crisis that has left Manchester United without five defenders.

Rio Ferdinand will undergo a scan today to assess the extent of a thigh injury that may rule him out of England’s World Cup qualifying match against Croatia next month.

With Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic and Rafael Da Silva already injured and Jonny Evans limping off with a slight groin problem in the closing stages of yesterday’s 1-0 victory over Birmingham City, Ferguson is concerned that United’s resources are being stretched and that a new signing may be necessary.

None of the injured players are expected to be fit to play against Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday evening, meaning that Ben Foster, the reserve goalkeeper, is likely to be protected by a back four of Fábio Da Silva, John O’Shea, Wes Brown and Patrice Evra, with Ritchie de Laet, a 20-year-old Belgian with a solitary Barclays Premier League appearance to his name, as cover.

Ferguson’s instinct has been to proceed with the players at his disposal, giving youngsters such as Evans, De Laet and the Da Silva twins the opportunity to gain experience, but he has been concerned by the frequency with which some of his defenders are picking up injuries.

Neville and Brown have suffered alarmingly with injury — Neville has started 13 Premier League matches since March 2007, while Brown started only six last season — but Ferguson is also concerned by Ferdinand’s sciatic problem, to which his latest thigh injury may be connected, and, to a lesser extent, the number of minor injuries suffered by Vidic.

“We have been having a hard time with defensive injuries over the last two years,” Ferguson said after Wayne Rooney’s goal secured an opening-weekend victory over Birmingham. “But people are capable of coming in for us.

“Vidic is back in training and that’s good news. He should be back for Wigan away on Saturday. Jonny Evans is injured again, while Gary Neville has only just started training, and Rafael Da Silva is still missing with his dislocated shoulder. Wes Brown hasn’t had much training, but he has done well and Ritchie de Laet, who was on the bench today, may figure now.”

Ferguson is, however, pondering whether to sign another defender to provide increased cover for Ferdinand and Vidic. He has identified Ryan Shawcross, the Stoke City defender, as a possible solution.

Shawcross, 21, began his career with United, graduating from the club’s youth academy, before leaving Old Trafford for Stoke in an initial £1 million deal in January 2008. Ferguson watched the youngster play and score for Stoke against Burnley on Saturday afternoon, although the prime reason for his visit was to watch Owen Coyle’s team.

Stoke would be reluctant to sell Shawcross, whose value to them has increased with the number of goals he has scored from set-pieces, but United insisted on a buy-back clause in the deal that took him to the Britannia Stadium.

Tony Pulis, the Stoke manager, will consider making Middlesbrough an offer for Robert Huth if a sale becomes inevitable. Liverpool have also expressed an interest in Shawcross.