Thin at the back for Manchester United

Michael Carrick is keeping his fingers crossed that he is not pressed into service as an emergency defender for Manchester United, who may be without 11 players when they host Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday.

An already extensive injury list grew even longer during Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League triumph over Marseille at Old Trafford, with two right-backs, John O'Shea and Rafael da Silva, limping off with hamstring problems.

Unless Jonny Evans is able to recover from a calf problem that has kept him out of United's last eight games, Sir Alex Ferguson will have only four fit defenders available, including Rafael's twin brother, Fabio da Silva, who became his side's third right-back last night even though most of his first-team experience has come on the left.

United found themselves in a similar situation last December, when both Carrick and Darren Fletcher were deployed in defence for a match at Fulham. United lost 3-0.

PhysioRoom lists the injuries as such:



Good thing for them that Nani and Valencia have returned from injury, and that Giggs is able to play more than once a week again. The Bolton match should be very interesting, and a lot of fun for the neutral.