Friday 11 December 2015 15:57, UK
Manchester United will be without nine players at Bournemouth on Saturday Night Football, Louis van Gaal has revealed.
Defenders Chris Smalling and Matteo Darmian are the latest absentees after both were injured during the midweek defeat at Wolfsburg that saw United eliminated from the Champions League.
Van Gaal expects the pair to return before Christmas, along with Ander Herrera, but in the meantime the Dutchman heads to the south coast with a threadbare squad.
This is the list of United's absentees ahead of their trip to the south coast:
Wayne Rooney: Damaged ankle at Leicester. Not thought to be serious but still not fit.
Chris Smalling: Injured his groin against Wolfsburg. Back before Christmas.
Matteo Darmian: Injured his hamstring against Wolfsburg. Back before Christmas.
Phil Jones: Injured ankle against Watford. Should return by the new year.
Marcos Rojo: Dislocated shoulder in training at the start of December. Has had surgery but no return date.
Luke Shaw: Suffered broken leg against PSV Eindhoven in September. Hoping to return in mid-April.
Antonio Valencia: Injured his ankle in the Manchester derby in October. Out until mid-February.
Ander Herrera: Picked up a hamstring injury against Watford in November. Should return before Christmas.
Bastian Schweinsteiger: Three-match suspension for elbowing West Ham's Winston Reid.
Van Gaal at least has midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin back as United aim to end a run of four games without a win, but Rojo is beginning a long period of rehabilitation after surgery on his shoulder.
"Schneiderlin is coming back so that's not a problem," Van Gaal said. "But we have a list of eight players injured and Marcos 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."
Schweinsteiger was banned retrospectively this week for striking Winston Reid with a forearm during Saturday's goalless draw with West Ham, a verdict Van Gaal called "strange".
He said: "The referee was whistling and talking with the two players. It's strange again but we don't have any luck, I think."
