Eric Bailly Injury: Manchester United Defender's Ankle Knock 'Nothing Serious'

Manchester United have been handed a big fitness boost after it was confirmed the ankle injury defender Eric Bailly suffered against Everton reserves on Monday is "nothing serious." 

The club's official website confirmed Bailly was taken off as a precaution in the Premier League 2 fixture, meaning manager Jose Mourinho could soon have his summer signing back in first-team contention.

The centre-back has been out of action since early January after joining the Ivory Coast for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

Given his status as a fan favourite at Old Trafford, any kind of knock picked up by the defender triggers concern among the supporters.

Since joining the Red Devils from Villarreal in the summer, Bailly has shown plenty of defensive quality. The youngster is a commanding physical specimen, able to bully centre-forwards off the ball and dominate in the air. Additionally, he's a forceful tackler and watchful in the way he tracks runs.

Naturally, for a player who is still just 22, there are some raw facets to his game, most notably in terms of distribution. But overall, United have looked a lot more assured at the back with Bailly involved.

Given the injury issues the centre-back has endured already this term, United have become accustomed to finding solutions without Bailly. Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo have been a fine partnership at times, while Chris Smalling and Daley Blind are also capable options for manager Jose Mourinho.

Although Bailly has shown immense promise on the pitch, the amount of injuries he's picked up early in his United career represent something of a concern. The fans, manager and team-mates will now be looking for him to put together a consistent run of games.