Anderson Ruled Out For Rest Of Season

Manchester United midfielder Anderson has been ruled out for the rest of the season after rupturing a cruciate ligament against West Ham.

The Brazilian was injured after 19 minutes of Tuesday's 3-0 win, his first game for over a month.
With the 21-year-old also set to miss the World Cup, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said: "It is a bad blow."

Ferguson revealed he had also been considering Anderson, an £18m signing from Porto in 2007, as a starter in the return leg with AC Milan at Old Trafford on 10 March, when Michael Carrick will be suspended.

But in only his 14th league appearance of this season, he was forced off the pitch in the first half of Tuesday's comfortable win over the Hammers and was replaced by Ji-Sung Park.

"It's bad news for him," Ferguson added. "He was looking forward to coming back and had been showing great energy and enthusiasm."

Following a scan on Wednesday, Anderson will head to Portugal in a fortnight for an operation to repair the ruptured cruciate ligament.

His latest injury setback comes a month after being stretchered off during United's Carling Cup win over Derby on 20 January.

"It is strange, when you see cruciate injuries it is usually something simple. He stretched out for the ball and his knee just popped," said Ferguson.

"We have assessed the situation and know he needs the operation. Sometimes we have sent them to Dr Steadman in Colorado. In this instance he is comfortable with the surgeon he has dealt with in Portugal in the past.

"He will be out for six months and hopefully that should have him about right for the new season."