England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson believes Manchester United are missing key defender Rio Ferdinand. The Old Trafford club have had a lapse in form since the centre-back started his eight-month ban on 20 January for missing a routine drugs test.
Since then, Sir Alex Ferguson's side have seen a Premiership lead evaporate into a nine-point deficit to Arsenal.
"Maybe they miss Rio a little bit," said Eriksson: "He's a big leader in the back line. I think they miss him."
Manchester United also face elimination from the Champions League should they fail to beat Porto on Tuesday.
 |  I wouldn't say things have gone wrong [at Man Utd] because they can still win everything |
And they have drawn their biggest domestic rivals Arsenal in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
But Eriksson, who is likely to be without Ferdinand for Euro 2004 this summer, stops short of saying Manchester United are in turmoil.
"I wouldn't say things have gone wrong because they can still win everything," he said.
"They can win the Champions League, the league and the FA Cup."
MMIX
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