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| Van Gaal has several long-term injured players, but hopes to be reinforced by Christmas |
MANCHESTER UNITED will almost be without an entire starting line-up of players when they face Bournemouth on Saturday.
Defender Matteo Darmian has failed to recover from the hamstring injury that forced him out of United's Champions League defeat to Wolfsburg, while Chris Smalling played through a groin strain but will now miss the trip to the south coast.
The FA yesterday handed Bastian Schweinsteiger a three-match ban for his clash with Winston Reid last weekend, leaving Van Gaal with limited resources, at least for the time being.
"Schneiderlin is coming back that’s not a problem but we have a list of eight players injured and Rojo has been operated on this week and it takes a long time," Van Gaal told MUTV.
"These injuries are very heavy – Shaw and Valencia have also been operated and that’s our problem.
"It is not beneficial for us because we have a heavy programme but I believe that Smalling, Herrera and Darmian are coming back before Christmas."
It has been another week of bad news at Old Trafford, with the growing injury list and crushing defeat that saw them crash out of the Champions League.
And Van Gaal admitted it would not be easy for him to boost morale in the dressing room ahead of their Premier League return."I try to but of course the players have to do that also by themselves they are also the professionals," he added.
"They need to use their tools to lift them up and we have a lot to fight for, I think.
"So we are very close in the Premier League to the top.
"We can fight for the FA Cup and fight also for the Europa League so I think we have enough to fight for."
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