“Strange isn’t it. As soon as you get one defender back (Evans) you lose another (Smalling). There must be a reason for it as its been happening for a few seasons and not just under van Gaal as i remember Ferguson commenting on injury crises for the last few years he was in charge and Moyes had the same problems. But somehow Man U won, how i’ll never know.”

I’m wondering if it is the type of grass they have on the pitch at Old Trafford and Carrington.  The AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) here in Canberra did a study a few years back on these sorts of injuries in all of the football codes here in Oz and recommended a new type of grass – it’s our new sporting secret weapon

From my very hazy memory the study concluded that the type of grass that clubs had moved to in recent years to prevent those old barren pitches from the 90s also tends to catch on the studs of the players and leads to muscle injuries – which is mostly what our players have been getting.  I mean, 43 injuries before Christmas?