Manchester United’s defensive worries just seem to be piling on as the club’s Ivory Coast defender; Eric Bailly has suffered another knee injury. The 22-year-old defender has left Jose Mourinho in a defensive dilemma after being taken off in the first half of the game against Crystal Palace on Thursday.
The Ivory Coast international had made his first team return only last week when his side beat Spurs 1-0 at Old Trafford. It was his first appearance for the club since he last played on the 23rd of October. His return to the Manchester United starting XI was short lived as he took a knock on his knee in the 52nd minute of the game and had to be substituted at Selhurst Park.
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When the Manchester United boss was asked about the extent of Bailly’s injury, Mourinho said: “We don't know [yet]. It is not the same knee, it is the other one. It is the left knee. So he is not coming back to a previous injury.
“Of course he has a problem with another dimension, but he showed amazing character to try and try, and try until his limit.”
Ever since Bailly joined Manchester United from Villarreal FC for a sum of £30million in the summer, the defender has been out for most of the season with injuries. Bailly had suffered a similar knee injury in their 4-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea FC at Stamford Bridge in October.
In an interview with Manchester United TV, Mourinho had a fresh further update on the injury Bailly suffered; Mourinho added: “The only thing I can say is that it is not the same knee.
“He had an injury in the right knee and he recovered fantastically well. Now it is the left knee. I don't know really what he has, but let us see and wait.
“He could resist for so long. I would say for about 75 minutes he could resist. He is a special guy and his pain level is really high.”
Eric Bailly was playing in a makeshift right-back position and was impressing before taking a knock on his knee; the Ivorian was brought down on several occasions in the first half before finally being replaced by the club’s Italian full back, Matteo Darmian in the second half of the game.
Manchester United managed to grab all three points against Alan Pardew’s Crystal Palace courtesy of a late strike by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Red Devils are currently in sixth place in the Premier League table and will be taking on West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
