Henrikh Mkhitaryan Suffers Hamstring Injury vs. Saint-Etienne

Manchester United's ambitions received a blow on Wednesday after Henrikh Mkhitaryan was substituted with an injury during their UEFA Europa League match against AS Saint-Etienne. 

As reported by Simon Peach of the Press Association, the Armenia international was spotted holding the back of his leg as he left the pitch, suggesting he tweaked his hamstring:

Just minutes before the substitution, Mkhitaryan stretched to give his side the lead. 

The Armenian was brought in over the summer after a sensational year with Borussia Dortmund, in which he bagged an incredible 23 goals and 32 assists in all competitions and won the Bundesliga's Player of the Year award.

The 28-year-old has had relatively little opportunity to replicate his form this season after being left out of the side for almost two months following his substitution at half-time in the Manchester derby in September, but he has shone since being handed a start against Feyenoord in the UEFA Europa League in November.

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The midfielder's energy brings pace to United's attack, while his skill, creativity and dribbling are almost unrivalled in the Red Devils squad.

With Mkhitaryan out, United are likely to be far slower and less dynamic in the final third. The injury couldn't come at a worse time, with the EFL Cup final against Southampton on Sunday, the battle for a top-four finish heating up in the Premier League and Chelsea awaiting in the FA Cup quarter-final in less than three weeks. 

The goalscoring and creative talents of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial should be capable of mitigating his absence if they perform at their best, but Mkhitaryan will be missed—United are at their peak with him in the side.