Marouane Fellaini to miss Moscow trip with injury

Former Manchester United running gag and current Manchester United squad lynchpin Marouane Fellaini has reportedly picked up an injury. A few outlets are running the story that the Belgian midfielder hurt his ankle against Southampton, and has not traveled to Russia for Wednesday’s Champions League group stage game against CSKA Moscow.

Fellaini is himself only filling in for the injured Paul Pogba, so this injury comes at a particularly inopportune time. The reports don’t indicate whether or not the ankle twack is meant to keep him out of action beyond Wednesday, but this is already the second ankle knock that Fellaini has picked up this season. When will referees start doing more to protect flair players?!

In his absence, Ander Herrera is likely to go straight into the team, but if José Mourinho had plans of playing three in the middle, then Michael Carrick’s old legs will be required as well. But even that is in doubt, as Nemanja Matić may not be 100% fit either, according to those same reports. The Serbian has traveled at least, so we may not need to start sounding the injury crisis klaxon just yet.