No alternative for Hargreaves

United boss accepts midfielder needed surgery

Last updated: 14th November 2008

No alternative for Hargreaves

Hargreaves: Knee surgery

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Sir Alex Ferguson has conceded Manchester United had no alternative other than to send Owen Hargreaves for an operation on his knees.

The England midfielder has gone under the knife following a consultation with renowned knee surgeon Dr Richard Steadman in Colorado.

Hargreaves has experienced pain in both of his knees since arriving at Old Trafford in an £18million deal from Bayern Munich last year.

A course of injections from a specialist in Leicester had allowed Hargreaves to play through the pain barrier last season but having made just three appearances this term, it was decided surgery was the only viable solution.

"We have exhausted every other way of dealing with the situation," said Ferguson.

Exhausted options

"We have tried to manage it by sending him to a specialist in Leicester for a series of injections.

"Their success rate is very good. Unfortunately it wasn't good enough for Owen because he was still feeling great pain in his knee caps.

"We had to look at the next stage and that meant sending him for an operation.

"The surgeon is very pleased with it and we had a physio there who was happy as well.

"We hope it will get rid of the problem and he will come back a new player."