Ananova:

Darren Fletcher is hoping a pain-easing injection will delay the need for ankle surgery until next summer.

The Manchester United midfielder returned to action after a month on the sidelines in Tuesday's six-goal thriller with CSKA Moscow. It should mean Fletcher will face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, when United attempt to depose the current Premier League leaders.

"A bit of bone has broken off the back of my ankle and stuck out about an inch," he revealed. "Every time I bend it is causing a bit of pain so I have had an injection to clear it up for a while. It should be okay to the end of the season but the plan is to get me through to the summer and then do something then."

Scotland's failure to qualify for next year's World Cup Finals in South Africa provides the perfect gap for Fletcher to have the operation.

"I have had it for a couple of years now and the build-up of fluid and other medical things the doctors know more about than me has been constantly aggravating it," he said.

"Striking a ball or bending the ankle in a flexed position or pushing off it hurts.

"It got to the point where it was too sore to train and play. Something had to be done and I had the injection."

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