Vidic wants one last crack at rivals

By David Lee Wheatley

Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic signalled the end of an era when announcing his intention to join Inter during the summer at the completion of his Old Trafford contract. After eight glorious years of service, mainly under Sir Alex Ferguson, the Serbian centre-back has decided to move on in order to experience a new adventure in Italy.

Today, he leads the Red Devils into battle against arch-rivals Liverpool for the last time before he leaves for pastures new and the 32-year-old is relishing the opportunity to help his beloved United to secure a key victory in the ongoing battle to put the reigning champions season back on track.

Four places and eleven points currently separate the two sides, but unusually it's the Merseysiders in the ascendancy on this occasion. Their progress this season under Brendan Rodgers has seen the Anfield giants touted as possible title contenders for the first time since 2009, when they finished 2nd in the Premier League under Rafa Benitez. Meanwhile, Manchester United have suffered a dramatic fall from grace since Alex Ferguson's retirement at the end of last season and they go into this afternoon's clash as underdogs.

Vidic and Rio Ferdinand formed a formidable central defensive partnership throughout their first five years or so together, but injury and age have caught up with both recently. However, the club captain will hope to keep a clean sheet against the odds in his team's quest to somehow snatch a top-four spot in last-ditch fashion.

To do so, he and his team-mates will have to keep a rampant Liverpool forward line quiet and that would appear an almost impossible task. Suarez and Sturridge have plundered 45 goals between them and their pace will cause huge problems for a creaking United back-four. Should Vidic and co. pull off a shock and stop them from scoring, it would certainly be plausible for the likes of Mata, Rooney, Januzaj and Van Persie to give Liverpool something to think about at the other end of the field.

Only time will tell if Vidic can sign off in this biggest of fixtures in style. But, a betting man would say he can't, despite so many past glories with the club.

Twitter: @davewh1980