'He has had the operation,' Fergie is quoted as saying in one paper this morning. 'We expect him to be [out] about six weeks. We thought it was maybe a three-month job, but hopefully it is going to be six weeks.'
Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt both unexpectedly appeared in the line-up last and Ferguson said he hoped both players would now be able to get a decent run in the side but warned Eriksson to keep his hands off for now.
'He [Scholes] has not had much football and has been carrying an injury for a few weeks and we just have to be careful with him and how much we use him, he got through it. It [his ankle] was feeling very painful at the end of the match, but we will bring him on and hopefully can get him fit next week for Bolton.'