Defensive crisis deepens as another centre back gets injured — reports

There's bad luck, there's terrible luck, and then there's Louis van Gaal's luck, a luck so morbid and strange that tBB can only assume he spends his time between matches sitting under ladders, throwing shards of mirrors at passing black cats. Already without Phil Jones (injury), Jonny Evans (injury) and Tyler Blackett (suspended), various outlets are today reporting that Chris Smalling has done something to his thigh, and is a doubt for Saturday's home game against West Ham.

Chris Smalling is a doubt for Manchester United's game with West Ham after hurting his thigh in training #mufc #bbcrmsport

— BBC Radio Manchester (@bbcradiomanc) September 25, 2014

If true, this leaves United with precisely one fit centre back, Marcos Rojo, and he's played both his games so far at left back. Who will be charged with standing next to him? We'd guess at Daley Blind, since surely Michael Carrick isn't quite fit enough for emergency deployment. But, well, who knows. Darren Fletcher? Marnick Vermijl? The still-terrifying ghost of Bill Foulkes?