The injury jinx which has dogged Manchester United all season struck again today when Rio Ferdinand was ruled out for three weeks with a torn thigh muscle.
The England defender limped out of United's Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday and a scan has confirmed that the muscle is torn.
Ferdinand had already been expected to miss Sunday's trip to his former club West Ham in the Premiership.
But the extent of the damage means he will miss at least three league games - including crucial clashes with Liverpool and Arsenal - as well as the start of United's campaign in the second phase of the Champions League the week after next. He will also miss an England get together next week.
United's playing resources have been seriously depleted this season with key midfielders Nicky Butt and Roy Keane still out of action. Gary Neville, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes have also been sidelined for spells while Ferdinand himself had only just come back from knee surgery.
"It is a real body blow because he had only just come back from his knee operation," said Alex Ferguson.
"But it just illustrates the kind of season we have had with injuries."
With Ferdinand ruled out for Sunday's game, Ferguson has little option but to recall Gary Neville, who was dropped for the Leverkusen match, and move young Irish defender John O'Shea from right back into the middle of the defence alongside Laurent Blanc.
Ferdinand arrived at Old Trafford from Leeds in the summer in a 29-million-pound deal. But after his stellar World Cup with England, he has struggled with his fitness and form.
After missing the first three matches of the campaign after turning an ankle in the pre-season friendly against Boca Juniors, Ferdinand was ruled out for another three games after opting for knee surgery last month.
There was some a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for Ferguson with another England defender, Wes Brown, playing an hour for the reserves on Thursday night. Brown, who is coming back from a broken ankle, will be in the squad for the trip to West Ham.