Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian was taken to hospital on Saturday after spitting blood with what Louis van Gaal believes is a "bad" injury sustained in his club's 1-0 defeat to Southampton.
The Italy international was taken off with chest and rib problems after a mid-air collision with Saints striker Shane Long.
And manager Van Gaal bemoaned his injury problems as all five of his senior full-backs -- Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo, Ashley Young and Darmian -- are now sidelined.
"He was spitting blood on the pitch so he has already gone to the hospital and we have to wait and see what happens," said Van Gaal in a news conference. "That is the fifth full-back who has been injured.
"Probably there is something wrong in one rib and also the chest but we have to wait and see. It was not a nice view for the players to see that. Darmian is bad because he is now in hospital."
Van Gaal also felt the right-back's injury meant United lost momentum, explaining: "At half-time I changed [Marouane] Fellaini and then I saw the first 15 minutes were better and the fans were behind the team and cheering.
"But then it was gone after the injury to Darmian. It's a pity that we don't continue with our momentum. But we have to stick together in this period because we have a lot of injuries."