Football
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Daley Blind injury adds to Manchester United's woes

Manchester United have been dealt another injury blow after midfielder Daley Blind suffered suspected torn knee ligaments while playing for Netherlands on Sunday night.

Blind hobbled out of the game against Latvia in Amsterdam, which the home side won 6-0, after he fell in a challenge with Eduards Visnakovs after 20 minutes.

After the match, Netherlands manager Guus Hiddink suggested Blind could be facing up to six weeks on the sidelines.

"It doesn't look good. It is his medial ligament. It could be a strain but also be a tear, so that is a big blow," Hiddink was quoted as saying in a report on Dutch website Voetbal International.

And on his official Facebook page, Blind wrote: "I'm proud of my 25 games for the Dutch national team, but I'm so gutted with my injury... I'll stay positive and will come back stronger! Nevertheless a great win, 6-0!"

United manager Louis van Gaal, who guided Netherlands to the World Cup semifinals in the summer before taking up his post at Old Trafford, has been left counting the cost of the international break.

England midfielder Michael Carrick was sent home ahead of the qualifier against Slovenia because of a groin problem, while goalkeeper David De Gea dislocated his finger while training with Spain.

Blind, who signed for United from Ajax for 14 million pounds on transfer deadline day, had been deployed as an emergency central defender by Van Gaal following injuries to Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo and the suspension of Chris Smalling.

United, who are currently seventh in the Premier League, travel to Arsenal on Saturday for the teams' first meeting of the season.

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