Ander Herrera has added to Louis van Gaal’s injury woes after it was revealed he had suffered a fractured rib in Saturday’s win over West Ham.

Manchester United had postponed a planned statement on the club website regarding the problem on Monday evening but on Tuesday afternoon they tweeted: "Ander Herrera sustained a fractured rib vs West Ham. We'll continue to monitor his progress over the next few weeks."

The Spanish midfielder was taken off in the 74th-minute of the 2-1 win , taking to 10 the number of players in Van Gaal’s squad who are injured.

Herrera was initially optimistic about the problem. On his Facebook page Herrera posted: “Three very important points! I hope my back is fine soon. Thanks for your messages!”

With Wayne Rooney suspended for three matches following his red card in the game with West Ham, Van Gaal will rue the loss of yet another player as he prepares for Everton's visit on Sunday.

Guardian Service