Manchester United are one of the biggest teams in the world; they’re one of the most successful teams in England, and their brand is known all over the world.
Playing for Manchester United is a dream come true for many players. However, that dream can turn into a nightmare if they pick up a serious injury, and there have been a fair few in the history of the club. Below we go through 5 notable injuries sustained by players playing for Manchester United over the years.
Phil Jones
Phil Jones has been no stranger to the physio during his time at Manchester United, with a series of knee and ankle injuries keeping him on the side-line. However, his latest injury was by far his worst, as a knee injury that he picked up during training prevented him from playing for over a year. During that time, Jones underwent surgery to repair his knee, missing nearly 80 games in the process. He eventually recovered from this injury and is still a Manchester United player to this day.
Marcos Rojo
Rojo joined United from Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon for a fee of €20 million in August 2014 but found it hard to settle into the squad and become a regular first-team player. While he’s never had the best luck with injuries, his worst spell on the side-lines came towards the end of his United career after picking up a knock in training in 2019. This later turned out to be a muscle injury, and it kept him out until the end of the season, which meant he missed 40 games for the club. He was moved on from the club the year after.
Roy Keane
Roy Keane is a veritable Manchester United legend. He played over 300 times for United and won a host of titles during his time at the club. He was club captain for many years and an integral part of the Manchester United midfield. Just as he had been made captain at the club, he suffered a cruciate ligament injury whilst playing at Leeds United, causing him to miss the majority of the season. Keane would bounce back the following year and shake off his injury to marshal the Manchester United midfield for a number of years.
Alan Smith
Smith signed from Leeds United for €9 million in July 2004, and was one of the hottest English talents in the league but failed to find his form in Manchester. His development was further scuppered when he broke his leg in a game against Liverpool in late February, ruling him out for the rest of the season. He missed 19 games due to injury, and while he eventually returned to the team, he was sold to Newcastle United a year later.
Donny van de Beek
The 25-year-old has been struggling to break into the first team at Manchester United, but many were hoping that being reunited with his former manager may give him the impetus he needs to make that jump. However, during a rare runout against Bournemouth, he suffered a knee injury that will rule him out until the end of the season. It’s estimated that he will make his return at the end of June, meaning that he will miss a total of 31 games for the club.
Conclusion
The fact of the matter is that any contact sport like football carries a risk of injury, and sometimes those injuries will be severe. The only way one can avoid injury and experience a similar atmosphere might be by playing football-themed video games like FIFA, eSoccer or even online casino games like Football Cashpots available at platincasino.ie. However, those who love playing the actual sport will not settle for just a virtual alternative. This is evermore true for players who make a living out of the sport. For this reason, our favourite players risk the possibility of injury to give the fans moments of magic on the pitch.
