Sir Alex Ferguson admits Manchester United's
defensive resolve has collapsed since their clean-sheet record was
brought to an end by Blackburn.
It is hard to comprehend how a team that can set a new
Premier League best of 14 successive clean sheets should suddenly
appear so vulnerable.
The 10 goals United have conceded in their last four games is
the same number it took 22 matches to let in prior to the Old
Trafford hammering by Liverpool on March 14.
But Ferguson believes the actual malaise dates back a further
three weeks, when Blackburn were distinctly unlucky to suffer a 2-1
defeat to the Red Devils, having outplayed the world club champions
for long spells.
What Sam Allardyce's side did manage to do was score, through
Roque Santa Cruz. It robbed United of an in-built need to
concentrate, and they have never recovered.
"We were doing very well when we weren't conceding any goals
because there was a record to defend," recalled Ferguson.
"Once we lost that first goal against Blackburn, the battle to
try to keep the record had gone. Since then we have lost really bad
goals."
Injuries and poor form have also come together at just the wrong
time, a deadly combination from which, at present, there seems to
be no escape.
When Rio Ferdinand returned from the Club World Cup in Japan
with a back injury that kept him out for five weeks, Jonny Evans
stepped brilliantly into the breach.
But now Ferdinand is sidelined again, Evans' confidence has
ebbed as the rigours of playing so many games have caught up with
his 21-year-old legs.
Similarly, the once reliable presence of John O'Shea, who was
superb at left-back when Patrice Evra was ruled out by suspension
and then injury, is struggling for form after being switched to the
other full-back position and then centre-half last night when Evans
went off with a groin injury that makes him a doubt for next week's
second leg with Porto.
Nemanja Vidic's recent disciplinary troubles mean he was
starting only his fifth game out of nine in last night's 2-2 draw
and the rustiness showed.
The list of senior men currently operating well below their peak
is lengthy and includes Evra, plus Michael Carrick and Paul
Scholes, who can normally be relied upon to keep possession but are
currently giving it away with alarming regularity.
Gary Neville is only just back off the treatment table, Dimitar
Berbatov, Anderson, Wes Brown and Rafael da Silva are on it, along
with Ferdinand, whose groin injury has not given Ferguson any sign
of clearing up.
Little wonder it seems like Wayne Rooney is carrying the fight
on his own, with occasional flashes of genius from Cristiano
Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Federico Macheda.
Indeed, given the importance of next week's second leg and the
need to retain an element of freshness for Portugal, it would be no
surprise if Macheda was handed his first start on Saturday, when
the Premier League leaders head to relegation-threatened
Sunderland.
O'Shea is set to partner Vidic in defence as United attempt to
subdue Kenwyne Jones rather more effectively than they managed with
Aston Villa's John Carew on Sunday.
However, the problem of fatigue goes far deeper.
"We are suffering," said Ferguson.
"Park Ji-sung is the one player who never misses a beat in terms
of his movement and endurance work in a game.
"He has such natural stamina. He was well off the pace last
night and looked tired."
Park's World Cup commitment to South Korea could not have
helped, one of the reasons Ferguson felt he was placed in an unfair
position last weekend when he was forced to choose between facing
Villa on Saturday lunchtime with no preparation, or Sunday
afternoon knowing aching limbs could drain his team last night.
Only the foolhardy would write off United's chances of
overcoming Porto in the second leg next week.
But Ferguson also knows he must look beyond the task of ensuring
United become the first English team to beat the Portuguese
champions on their own soil after 11 previously failed
attempts.
For, if United do fall, the Scot will have a major job on his
hands trying to raise spirits in a squad that sees the finishing
line too far away to simply drop across. And hungry predators from
Merseyside - Rafael Benitez in the Premier League and David Moyes
in the FA Cup - are lying in wait to pounce themselves.