Manchester United defender Eric Bailly could be back in action sooner than expected. An Instagram story posted by teammate and midfielder Ander Herrera showed the Ivory Coast international running in a training pool along with the caption: “Come on Eric Bailly, not long left.” (the Manchester Evening News has a screen grab at this link)
How long, approximately, is “not long” for Bailly?
Well, the latest update on United’s official website wrote that Eric Bailly is: “definitely unavailable to face Stoke but could be back around the end of the month.” The central defender has been out of commission since November, when it was revealed that he suffered a “serious” ankle injury.
If he is to return at the end of January that would indeed be an extremely pleasant surprise, given how the original estimates had him out until February or March. Maybe that’s an aggressive prognosis, but between that website posting and Herrera’s social media video, it appears to be a major fitness boost for manager Jose Mourinho.
In an interview with the club’s official web channel, Mourinho said of Bailly: “He goes to surgery, the decision is made. I don’t say for the rest of the season but it’s for the next two or three months.”
Eric Bailly stayed back in England to continue his rehabilitation, and did not travel with the rest of the team to Dubai.
Here’s the link to the full team injury report for the Monday night clash versus Stoke City, and the MUFC starting XI prediction.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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