Ironic really, given our embarrassment of riches at centre half, but it appears that we may be on the edge of a minor injury crisis. If that’s not an oxymoron. I play it down and describe it as ‘minor’ since there’s a couple of weeks until the curtain opener and these things always seem to be blown out of proportion initially, but we are running a bit thin on the ground at this moment.

Firstly, as you’ll know, James Collins went off early during the Walsall game with what turned out to be a calf injury. He travelled to Portugal with the team, but I don’t think there was ever much question of him playing, it was just good to have him with the squad.

Carlos Cuellar also made for the touchline during the early exchanges of last night’s match against Benfica and has reportedly pulled a hamstring, it’s not thought to be torn though.

And if you stuck with the broadcast after the final whistle last night, you would have witnessed the slightly peculiar scene of Curtis Davis sheepishly collecting some kind of trophy, hobbling onto the stage like he’d just completed two marathons. The rare double limp, usually reserved for English holidaymakers who have spent too much time in the sun and suffered sunburn on the back of both knees.

I figured he was just a bit sore from the workout at the time, you’d hardly send a crocked player up to collect an award, but the Mail are reporting that he left the stadium on crutches and has suffered a knee injury. Oh.

However, we still have Richard Dunne and Ciaran Clark, who we haven’t seen much of this pre-season, but impressed when called upon against Fulham last season. Habib Beye can also fill in if required, but I’d sooner call on Clark myself.

It may be nothing and we could be fine for the start of the season. If not, these things happen, even Man Utd ran out of centre halves and needed Carrick to play at the back last season. Still, you have to appreciate the irony of looking weak in the one position that we don’t need to recruit for right now.

No? Just me then.