Nev: Out Till New Year
Telegraph: Gary Neville’s injury nightmare continues after the Manchester United right-back was told he will be out of action beyond the New Year.
Neville, who has been sidelined for eight months with a combination of ankle and groin problems, had hoped to make his return to competitive action within the next few weeks.
However, the 32-year-old England international was forced to pull out of United’s reserve-team match against Sunderland last night amid fears his troublesome ankle has not yet healed.
No date has been set for when Neville will play again, and although manager Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed the suggestion that his absence may be permanent as an “an extreme fear”, the captain’s continued aborted comebacks have raised the prospect of a worst-case scenario.
Neville has made just one reserve appearance since picking up the injury in a collision with Bolton’s Gary Speed during a Premier League clash back in March.
A United spokesman said: “Gary has been training with the first team and will to continue with that as opposed to playing with the reserves.”
Neville has earned 85 England caps since making his debut for United in Jan 1993.
