Van Gaal: Shaw out for several weeks

Posted Saturday, November 29, 2014 by Goal.com

The Dutchman pulled a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and donned a pair of spectacles to read out his medical advisor's notes on the England defender's setback

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed that defender Luke Shaw has damaged ankle ligaments and will be out for "a few weeks".

The England international picked up the problem in Saturday's 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and joins a lengthy injury list at Old Trafford that includes Daley Blind, Jonny Evans and Phil Jones.

There was confusion last week when United's official Twitter account, having misunderstood Van Gaal, said that Blind would miss six months with a knee injury.

To avoid a repeat performance, Van Gaal was at pains to point out that he was relaying a message from the medical staff, pulling a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and putting on his spectacles to read the message to the assembled press.

"Last time I said something and it was not so good interpreted, so I have asked my medical advisor, maybe Manchester United’s twitter account can pay attention to it, eh?" he said.

The Dutchman read: "Luke sustained an ankle ligament injury but with no serious complications, and he will be out for the next few weeks because of this. Point."

Van Gaal, who coached the Netherlands to third place at this summer's World Cup, also revealed that he has given Blind a week off as he looks to recover from his knee injury.

"I give him a holiday because in the first week it’s more rest than exercise and he didn’t have so much holiday because of the World Cup – maybe you remember that the Netherlands were there until the end – so I gave him a holiday.

"He comes back on Monday and then he has to exercise and practise every day, because an injured player has to train more than the fit player."

Van Gaal also revealed that Evans will not be involved in Saturday's match against Hull City despite his return to action with the club's reserves in midweek.

"Evans is out of an injury that has taken a lot of weeks and he has to develop a match ryhythm. He is fit to play but not in the Premier League," he told MUTV.

Radamel Falcao, who was also involved in last week's injury mix-up when it appeared Van Gaal claimed he would miss two weeks with a calf injury, could be in the squad despite not being at 100 per cent.

"He is not ready, it's the same thing with Evans. When you are so long out of running and not training with your team-mates, one week of training is not sufficient. But I need strikers now so maybe he is in the 18."