[h=1]Injury update before Bournemouth test[/h]
Louis van Gaal has told MUTV that no fewer than nine players are unavailable for selection ahead of Manchester United’s Barclays Premier League match at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Bastian Schweinsteiger is
suspended for three games now the FA has charged him with violent conduct after the German was involved in an incident with Winston Reid during last weekend’s West Ham game.
Matteo Darmian suffered a
hamstring injury during the first half of Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Wolfsburg and the Italian defender was substituted before half-time. Chris Smalling also picked up a
groin injury in Germany but the defender gallantly played on until the final whistle.
Marcos Rojo and Antonio Valencia remain sidelined after undergoing recent surgeries on shoulder and foot injuries. Phil Jones, Ander Herrera, Wayne Rooney and Luke Shaw are also unavailable – although the positive news is that Morgan Schneiderlin is returning to fitness following his hip problem.
During his
MUTV interview at the Aon Training Complex, van Gaal provided a full update on United's injuries: "It is not so good. We have eight injured players because Darmian and also Smalling we can add to this list, and Schweinsteiger is also suspended, so it's nine players who are not able to play.
"Schneiderlin is coming back, that’s not a problem, but we have a list of eight players injured and Rojo has been operated on this week and it takes a long time. These injuries are very heavy – Shaw and Valencia have also been operated on and that’s our problem."
On the busy festive schedule, the manager continued: "It is not beneficial for us because we have a heavy programme but I believe that Smalling, Herrera and Darmian are coming back before Christmas."
Following the 3-2 defeat at Wolfsburg and United's subsequent exit from the Champions League, van Gaal admitted his job this week has been to lift the players' spirits. "I try to but, of course, the players have to do that also by themselves, they are also the professionals," he told
MUTV.
"They need to use their tools to lift them up and we have a lot to fight for, I think. So we are very close in the Premier League to the top. We can fight for the FA Cup and fight also for the Europa League, so I think we have enough to fight for."
MUTV's full interview with van Gaal will be shown in Countdown To Kick-off at 18:30 GMT today (Friday)
