Surprise, Surprise - Saha to Sit Out Semi

Injury for Saha
By Chris O'Brien
April 12 2005

Manchester United will be without Louis Saha for Sunday's F.A Cup semi-final against Newcastle United. Missing the Millennium Stadium encounter is another bitter blow for the injury-prone Frenchman.

Louis Saha has picked up yet another injury and will miss Manchester United’s crucial F.A Cup semi-final with Newcastle United at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday. It is calf problems that will see Saha heading for the physiotherapist.

There was mammoth hype surrounding the Frenchman’s £12.5million arrival at Old Trafford, yet he has failed to live up to expectation since moving to Lancashire and now finds himself many people’s favourite to leave the club at the end of the season having been knocked down to fourth in Sir Alex Ferguson’s attacking pecking order.

Saha’s injury problems have restricted the former Fulham man to only seven Premiership appearances this campaign, of which he has netted only one goal. Though being labelled as a “flop” is harsh, the United number 9 has made only 16 league starts in 15 months. Shocking statistics.

This is another major blow for United ahead of the semi-final. Saha looks set to join Ryan Giggs in the treatment room ahead of the game, with the Red Devils hoping to lift the F.A Cup for back-to-back seasons for the first-time in the clubs illustrious history.