Valencia’s United season finished after horror break

Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia will not play again this season after a freak injury in the 0-0 Champions League draw with Rangers left him with a fractured and dislocated ankle.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson defended his selection policy, for the second consecutive game, after making 10 changes to the team that drew 3-3 at Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.

But the loss of Ecuador international Valencia was, possibly, the most costly feature of the Old Trafford stalemate for the United manager.

Valencia, who had surgery on the right ankle in the summer, twisted awkwardly as he sprinted down the wing and was left with a shattered left ankle, dislocated and fractured.

Ferguson said: “He’s gone to hospital. It is a dislocation and a fracture, it’s a bad one and will keep him out for a long time.

“He seemed to dig his toe in the turf and when we saw the Rangers player waving we knew it was bad. It was an innocuous challenge and we didn’t expect that.

“It’s a similar injury to the one (former striker) Alan Smith had here in 2006 so he is out for the rest of the season.”

But the injury was not the only concern for Ferguson who recalled Wayne Rooney, whom he had controversially left out at Everton, and Rio Ferdinand but saw his team unable to make a single clear-cut chance. Ferguson, while defending the policy, did admit that omitting Dimitar Berbatov from even a place on his bench may have been an error.

“The criticism will be why I didn’t pick a strong team but I felt I picked a strong team,” said Ferguson. “We have a terrific squad of players and most of them played at the Charity Shield.

“We wanted to see how Chicharito (Javier Hernandez) could do in a full game but by doing that we left out Berbatov and his form has been outstanding.

“He’s been one of our best players this season and you have to say that was a loss. His ability to create in tight situations would have made a difference.”