Fergie may shuffle his pack

FOR a team and manager under fire from their critics, Manchester United are doing rather nicely.

Second in the Premier League, virtually through to the knock-out stages of the Champions League and in the last eight of the Carling Cup, the Reds are clearly doing something right.

But the snipers reckon – or perhaps hope – that United are heading for trouble, along with a manager whose criticism of referee Alan Wiley is likely to land him with a touchline or even dressing-room ban.

Without Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, United have not looked the rampant attacking outfit of last season.

Wayne Rooney has been forced to shoulder the burden of expectation up front and, so far, the England striker has applied himself manfully.

However, a recent calf injury which forced him out of the game for a fortnight has clearly affected Rooney, who looked to be a yard off the pace in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.

Someone needs to step up to the plate and give Rooney a helping hand.

Dimitar Berbatov, while clearly blessed with abundant talent, drifts in and out of games and his place must be under threat despite his £32million price tag.

Ironically, a player United obtained on a free transfer is in line to take his place.

Michael Owen scored a gem of a goal in the 2-0 midweek Carling Cup win at Barnsley and boss Sir Alex Ferguson may well reward him with a starting place at home to Blackburn tomorrow.

Like Rooney, Owen needs service from the flanks to be seen at his best and while Nani has been disappointing in his attempts to fill the void left by fellow Portuguese Ronaldo, there are signs that Antonio Valencia is going to justify his £16million transfer fee from Wigan.

The Ecuadorian winger scored the goal which sank CSKA Moscow in the Champions League and almost snatched an equaliser at Anfield when his searing shot struck the crossbar.

While there is some tinkering needed to United’s forward line, the defence is not without its problems.

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were poor in the defeat at Liverpool and the former, in particular, is under pressure from Jonny Evans following a series of error-strewn performances.

RESILIENCE

Bearing in mind that all is not rosy in the United garden, it says much for their resilience and self-belief that they are still able to sit second in the Premier League, just two points behind Chelsea.

And the fixture list could hardly have been kinder to the Reds tomorrow as the visitors to Old Trafford are Blackburn, a team devoid of confidence after being walloped 5-0 by Chelsea last Saturday.

Add a dose of swine flu in the Rovers camp and you have the recipe for another black Saturday for beleaguered manager Sam Allardyce.