Star defender Eric Bailly has been ruled out for two to three months with an ankle injury.
Arguably Manchester United’s best defender Eric Bailly has been ruled out for two to three months with manager Jose Mourinho confirming he has to undergo ankle surgery.
The centre-back has not featured since the start of November but the extent of his injury was unknown until now.
Manchester United hoped he wouldn’t need surgery after picking up the injury while playing for his national team for Ivory Coast.
Mourinho said: “He goes to surgery, the decision is made. I don’t say [he’s out] for the rest of the season but it’s for the next two or three months.”
Bailly is probably Manchester Unite’s best defender and when fit can dominate strikers physically.
It’s a huge bow to Manchester United’s title hopes especially considering City’s form.
Meanwhile, in some positive news for United, defender Phil Jones is back from injury and started for United against Bournemouth.
Phil Jones has been one of Mourinho’s most trusted defenders since the start of the season and has been consistently good the Red Devils.
And Jones was elated to have come back and to help United bounce back from the Manchester derby defeat to beat Bournemouth 1-0.
‘It was always going to be difficult off the back of the derby defeat,’ Jones said.
‘It wasn’t pretty at times. We had to dig deep and grind it out, but the most important thing was to get three points and get back on track.
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