United’s injury situation has gotten worse with the news that Darren Fletcher is to take “an extended break from football” owing to a chronic inflammatory bowel condition, Manchester United announced on Tuesday.

A statement from the club said:

“Over the past year he has had several absence periods which we have attributed to a viral illness in order to respect his right to medical confidentiality. Darren has, in fact, been suffering from ulcerative colitis (a chronic inflammatory bowel condition) for some time preceding this.