Eric Bailly looks to be facing a long spell on the sidelines following an ankle injury which has kept him away for a month. The ball playing Ivorian defender could be out till February,when United play their Champions League knockout tie with Sevilla ,after being told he must have surgery for his ankle to heal completely.
The defender, 23, had picked up the knock while on International duty with the Ivorian national team and has been forced to sit out United’s last eight games with his last appearance for the Red Devils coming in United’s premier league tie against Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge on Nov. 5. An Alvaro Morata’s header had ensured United lost the tie with an elated Conte infamously failing to wait for a post match handshake with Mourinho after the final whistle.
Baily for the past month has been receiving treatment from United’s medical staff at the Club’s Carrington training ground. It had been hoped that he would respond to treatment and not require an operation.
But after failing to make any progress, it has been decided that the centre-back does require surgery, which could now keep him out for up to three months.
“Bailly goes to surgery — the decision is made,” Mourinho told MUTV. “I don’t say [he’s out] for the rest of the season but it’s for the next two or three months.
“But now we have [Phil] Jones back and we have [Chris] Smalling, even [Daley] Blind, so it’s a position we have good cover in but of course we’ll miss the player.”
The news will indeed be of some consequence to United as they will be without arguably their best defender for some crucial ties. The Ivory Coast International will be missing when United visit Tottenham at Wembley to play the return leg of their premier league fixture. Having been beaten in the first leg Mauricio Pochettino’s men will be looking to exact revenge and Baily’s absence will be a welcome development.
United will be hoping there is no setback in the recovery process and will be hoping the defender makes his comeback in time for United’s trip to Sevilla in the Champions League round of 16 on Feb. 21.
United travel to Spain to face Sevilla, currently fifth in La Liga, before Chelsea visit Old Trafford on Feb. 24.
They play Liverpool at home on March 10, three days before Sevilla travel to Manchester for the return leg on March 13.