Eric Bailly ruled out for two months as Manchester United's woes deepen

Manchester United defender Eric Bailly has revealed he is out for two months with a knee ligament injury.

The Ivorian – one of the standout performers for United this season – went down during the 4-0 defeat at Chelsea on Sunday.

United boss Jose Mourinho admitted afterwards that he feared the £30 million signing from Villarreal could be badly injured – and those fears were confirmed on Tuesday with the news he will miss practically all of the remaining fixtures in 2016.

Bailly tried to put a positive spin on the story, telling fans on Instagram that he hoped to return within the two-month time frame, but it's another setback for a club already six points adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City.

"I wanted to thank you for all the messages of support that I received since the injury!' he wrote on Instagram on Tuesday," he said.

"I hope to be able to play again for United and The Elephants before 2 months, God willing. Thanks for always being there!"

United could feasibly be without Bailly for three-and-a-half months in total, with the 22-year-old expected to join up with Ivory Coast for the African Cup of Nations in February.