Manchester United fear Patrick Dorgu could be out for a prolonged period because of the muscle injury he sustained in Sunday’s 3-2 win at Arsenal, in what would be a blow to Michael Carrick’s resurgent side. While tests are still to confirm the prognosis there is concern the Dane has a hamstring problem that will cause him to miss several weeks, with some reports stating his absence may be more than two months.
Dorgu has been a key factor in United’s upturn, scoring in each of Carrick’s opening two matches. His goal against Arsenal came after an equally important one in United’s 2-0 victory over Manchester City the previous weekend. He also scored the winner in the 1-0 Boxing Day victory over Newcastle, making it three goals in his last seven appearances.
United next host Fulham on Sunday, before which the supporters group the 1958 will stage its latest protest against the club’s ownership. After their previously targeting the Glazer family, who have been majority owners for approaching 21 years, Sunday’s action will also be directed at Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the chief executive of the chemicals firm Ineos and United’s largest single minority owner.
A spokesperson from the 1958 said: “Recent results are down to Michael Carrick and the players and they have come in spite of our inept ownership, not because of it. This club continues to fumble from one calamity to the next. Fans should not be fooled by two good results. We have been here too many times before. Our protest has never been about performances on the pitch. Not now, and not once in the last 21 years. We are judging a dysfunctional ownership model that has repeatedly failed Manchester United.
“Jim Ratcliffe is a successful and wealthy businessman. But in a football sense, for many he comes across as a clueless clown, making one poor decision after another, with no cohesive plan. For us, this club is being dragged through chaos by clown ownership, capped off by a circus stadium design [for a new venue] that perfectly symbolises how far standards and ambition have fallen. We feel United is broken and Ratcliffe cannot fix the mess that started with the Glazers and he is adding to. We have no confidence in him or Ineos. They all need to go along with the hated Glazers. They have turned United into a laughing stock.”
