Henrikh Mkhitaryan only out for "about a week"

Speaking to the media ahead of Manchester United's game against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Jose Mourinho has assuaged the fears of Manchester United by announcing that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will only be missing for "about a week or so":

We don't think it is a serious injury ... We were worried, but it doesn't look like it will be a bad one.

Mkhitaryan was stretchered off in the 85th minute after being brutally hacked to the ground by the cowardly Danny Rose. But while the injury looked serious, and replays suggested that he had done something very nasty to his left leg, it appears that surgery will not be required. Severe bruising is the diagnosis, and the stretcher was largely precautionary.

However, he won't be back in action straight away. He will definitely miss the trip to Palace and probably the trip to West Bromwich Albion the following weekend. That makes the Boxing Day home game against Sunderland the likeliest date for his return.