Chelsea vs Manchester United: Eric Bailly facing long absence with knee injury, confirms Jose Mourinho

Bailly limped off after 52 minutes against Chelsea

(Getty)

Eric Bailly could face a long injury layoff after damaging his knee ligaments against Chelsea, fears Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho endured a nightmare return to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon as his United side were thrashed 4-0 by Antonio Conte’s Blues.

Bailly went off injured in the 52^nd minute with the game still at 2-0 but the way the defence fell apart even further after his departure will worry Mourinho if he has to deal without the £30m summer signing for an extended period of time.

"He is injured and I am afraid he is badly injured," the United manager said. "In his knee, in the ligament area. He feels that it is really bad."

The former Villarreal defender has impressed during his short time at the club, winning United’s player of the month award for August.

He was also named man of the match in three of their first four matches but United will have to make do without him, with Daley Blind set to deputise in the centre alongside Chris Smalling.

Marouane Fellaini was also withdrawn after picking up an injury during a nasty-looking tackle from David Luiz but Mourinho revealed after the game that his substitution was also a tactical one.

“If I'm going to say that he was injured, you are going to say again”' he said. “It was a bit of both (tactical and injury).”

Both players are expected to miss United’s next game, an EFL Cup Manchester derby against City on Wednesday, along with Wayne Rooney, who sat out the Chelsea defeat with a muscle injury picked up in training.

“Injured in training in the last session,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.

“He was so keen to play against Fenerbahce that he hid it and then he felt it in the training session and he couldn't come.”