Dorgu injury absence update

Our Player of the Month for January was injured soon after scoring a belter in the 3-2 win at Arsenal and, contrary to some reports, no timeframe has yet been placed on his return within the club.

Carrick is convinced Dorgu will be back “stronger than ever” and able to pick up from where he left off, as he was in the form of his life.

When asked by journalists if he knew more about the 21-year-old’s projected absence, the boss replied: “Not exactly. We’re working through it. It’ll definitely be a number of weeks. It will be a considerable period of time.

"He’s not going to be back in the next two or three weeks. To be more exact is a little bit difficult, at this moment.

"It could possibly be [10 weeks], we’re working through it. Certainly, we’re looking forward to getting him back as quickly as we can and getting on the pitch long before the end of the season.”

While everybody is disappointed with what seems like particularly poor timing for Patrick, there is an excitement over what he will keep bringing to the team, when he regains full fitness.

"It’s a blow,” admitted Carrick. “It’s always a blow when you lose players and they can’t be involved, and we can’t choose them. Especially when you’ve had an impact like Patrick did over the last few weeks, just finding that next level.

"Unfortunately, football throws things up, there are ups and downs. For this short period of time, he’s disappointed, he wants to be fit. But he’s going to have a career for the next 10 or 15 years, and hopefully, this is just a little moment for him.

"Coming off the back of the huge positive he’s just had, I think, when he comes back, he’ll be even stronger again.”

Everyone at United wishes Patrick a speedy recovery.