Manchester United full-back Valencia booked in for surgery

Manchester United defender Antonio Valencia will undergo surgery later today after fracturing his arm, the club announced. The 31-year-old Ecuadorian has made 11 appearances in all competitions for United so far this season.

Surprise omission

But he was missing from José Mourinho's squad for Saturday's league match at home to Burnley, with United confirming his injury via a Twitter feed statement that said: “Antonio Valencia has a fracture in his arm and will have surgery today”.

Valencia, who made his name as a winger both during his time in Spain with Villarreal before featuring as a right-back under successive United managers, has been replaced for the Burnley match by Matteo Darmian.

"That's football"

The 31-year-old joins fellow defenders Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling on United’s injury list.

“They were the three players that start almost every match in the Premier League and now we lose all three in the same period; but that's football and it's an opportunity for others to play. We trust Darmian and we trust Marcos Rojo to have a positive influence”, Mourinho said in the hours leading up to kick-off.