Silvestre adds to United's injury crisis

MANCHESTER, England, March 8 (Reuters) Manchester United's mounting injury crisis took a turn for the worse when French defender Mikael Silvestre was taken to hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

Silvestre was carried off on a stretcher after a collision in stoppage time just before the end of United's 1-0 Champions League first knockout round second-leg victory over Lille yesterday.

United won the tie 2-0 on aggregate.

Silvestre fell awkwardly after jumping for the ball with Lille defender Efstathios Tavlaridis.

United Manager Alex Ferguson learned before the game that his French striker Louis Saha would be out for at least four weeks with a hamstring injury.

''At first we though Mikael had broken his arm but it looks like a dislocated shoulder,'' Ferguson told reporters.

''He's gone to hospital and it's a big blow for us. In the space of a week we have lost five or six players. Louis Saha will be out for at least four weeks, hopefully that's all because you can never be sure with a hamstring injury.

''Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is out until March 31, Darren Fletcher is out for two months and Henrik Larsson leaves us next week.

''Its been a bad week for us, apart from the results.'' Defender Patrice Evra also missed Wednesday's match after picking up an injury in training.

Saha has scored 13 goals in 32 appearances this season, and along with Larsson's imminent return to Sweden at the end of his loan spell, Ferguson is short of forwards with crucial league, FA Cup and Champions League matches coming up.

One silver lining was the return of Alan Smith for the last 15 minutes of Wednesday's match.

After attempting to come back from a dislocated ankle and a fractured leg suffered 13 months ago, he had not played since November 7, but Ferguson said Smith was now approaching full fitness and he was delighted to have him back in the squad.

REUTERS SAM VC1025