Scholes faces two months out with knee injury

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes faces a lengthy lay-off after suffering a knee ligament injury in his side's 3-0 win over AaB Aalborg in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The experienced midfielder left the pitch on a stretcher after 15 minutes and manager Alex Ferguson said Scholes's injury had marred an otherwise good night for the club.

"There were a lot of plus points but we lost Paul Scholes who could be out for a few weeks," Ferguson told United's website which confirmed that Scholes could be out for two months.

The former England playmaker missed three months of last season after undergoing knee surgery.

United, for whom new Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov scored twice to open his account for the club, also ended the game without striker Wayne Rooney who injured his ankle.

"Wayne felt a weakness in it when he went to receive a ball and we took him off straight away," Ferguson said.

"So there was maybe a cost to pay for the victory."

Manchester United are away at Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League on Saturday.