‘It doesn’t look good’: Michael Carrick picks up ankle injury

England and Manchester United midfielder stretchered off during Friday night’s defeat

Michael Carrick leaves the pitch during England’s friendly match against Spain played at the Rico Perez stadium in Alicante. Photograph: EPA
Michael Carrick leaves the pitch during England’s friendly match against Spain played at the Rico Perez stadium in Alicante. Photograph: EPA

England and Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick sustained an ankle injury during England's 2-0 friendly defeat in Spain on Friday.

The 34-year-old was carried off the pitch on a stretcher late in the game.

"Michael has got a severely twisted ankle which normally means ligament damage," England manager Roy Hodgson told reporters.

“We won’t know that of course until he’s had an X-ray or a scan, but it doesn’t look good.”

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Carrick is definitely ruled out of Tuesday’s friendly against France at Wembley Stadium, although the game may still be postponed following the attacks in Paris on Friday. United travel to play Watford in the Premier League the following Saturday.

Meanwhile Spain's Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara has withdrawn from the European champions' squad for Tuesday's friendly against Belgium after injuring his troublesome right knee in Friday's game against England.

Thiago was forced off midway through the first half of the 2-0 friendly victory in Alicante and a scan on Saturday showed swelling on the medial collateral ligament, Spain said on their website.

The 24-year-old playmaker’s career has been disrupted by a series of knee and ankle problems and he missed last year’s World Cup finals in Brazil after needing surgery to repair ligament damage in his right knee.

“Given the player’s surgical history and to maximise preventative measures he has left the squad to be treated by Bayern Munich medical staff,” Spain said.

Bayern’s next match is a Bundesliga clash at Schalke 04 next weekend.