Manchester United midfielder Daley Blind faces more than a month on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury during Netherlands' Euro 2016 qualifier against Latvia on Sunday evening.
Blind, 24, limped off 20 minutes into the game after a clash with Eduards Visnakovs, and was replaced by Jordy Clasie with the Dutch 1-0 up courtesy of a headed goal from United teammate Robin van Persie.
Following the game a Dutch television station quoted Dutch manager Guus Hiddink as saying the injury was related to Blind's knee and the 24-year-old would miss an extended period.
Confirmed by Dutch television station NOS: Daley Blind has torn his knee ligament. He'll be sidelined for 4 to 6 weeks.
- Elko Born (@Elko_B) November 16, 2014
Earlier, United's official Twitter account suggested the defensive midfielder had suffered a possible thigh injury.
.@Persie_Official netted after 6 minutes and claimed 2 assists but @BlindDaley was subbed on 20 minutes with a possible thigh injury. #mufc
- Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 16, 2014
Louis van Gaal has been hampered by numerous injury concerns since taking over at Old Trafford in the summer, and was forced to field Blind alongside 19-year-old Paddy McNair in a makeshift defence for the club's most recent game, a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Nov. 8.
With Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick, Rafael and Jonny Evans also currently injured, United have a real crisis in the heart of their defence ahead of next Saturday's visit to Arsenal.