Owen Hargreaves has virtually written off his chances of making his Champions League debut for Manchester United in Lisbon on Wednesday.
Hargreaves was unable to train on Monday morning and now appears resigned to setting his sights on the weekend game with Chelsea instead.
"It's okay, I have never really had this injury before so this is new territory," said the midfielder. "I thought I would be fit for the Israel game, then the Russia game and then Everton, but I've still not done it. I have to take it day by day so hopefully I will be fit for the weekend.
"I can't say for certain but it looks as though I won't be ready for Wednesday because I have not trained."
Hargreaves believes this latest injury, allied to the tendinitis problem, is a legacy of the broken leg he suffered in Germany 12 months ago.
"It is frustrating," he said. "I missed pre-season then I had a run of games and I was really enjoying it.
"It is just disappointing to suffer something so niggly. But I think these injuries come from last season when I broke my leg."
