Blind sidelined by knee injury

Manchester United are set to be without Daley Blind for a prolonged period due to a knee injury sustained on international duty.

The close-season capture from Ajax had enjoyed a promising start to his Old Trafford career, though that is set to be stalled significantly by the injury picked up in the Netherlands’ 6-0 win over Latvia.

Blind lasted just 20 minutes of his country’s Euro 2016 qualifier in Amsterdam before being forced off following a challenge by Eduards Visnakovs.

Blind and United are awaiting further tests to determine the extent of the injury, though Van Gaal hopes to have the midfielder back sooner than originally expected.

The Old Trafford manager said: “He is not ready, he has a brace on his knee.

“It’ll be 10 days’ rest, then we’ll have another scan and say more about his injury.

“It’s not as bad as the doctors thought after the match, but it shall be a long story, I believe.

“But not six months or something like that.”