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BBC Sport...
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has blamed "futile" friendlies for the absence of midfielder Darren Fletcher with a knee ligament injury.
Fletcher, 24, played 90 minutes for Scotland against Croatia in midweek, but will now be out for six weeks.
"We've had a bad blow with Darren and it emphasises the futility of playing these friendly games," said Ferguson.
"He should have played for 45 or 60 minutes at most, but he played the full game so he's out for six weeks."
Fletcher was left out of United's squad for the 3-0 win over Liverpool last weekend, but recovered sufficiently to play in George Burley's first game in charge of Scotland.
"He was recovering from a bad chest cold and we rested him last Sunday because of that," added Ferguson.
"It's a bad blow for us and it's crazy. Supporters will stop going to these kind of games.
"They have the whole of the end of May, too. (England) have fixtures against Trinidad and the USA and I think every manager knows that they're a waste of time."
Fletcher has made 21 appearances for United this season, and his absence will stretch the club's squad as the season moves into its critical final few weeks.
Not a terrible blow but it gives Fergie less rotation options going into the last couple of months of the season.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has blamed "futile" friendlies for the absence of midfielder Darren Fletcher with a knee ligament injury.
Fletcher, 24, played 90 minutes for Scotland against Croatia in midweek, but will now be out for six weeks.
"We've had a bad blow with Darren and it emphasises the futility of playing these friendly games," said Ferguson.
"He should have played for 45 or 60 minutes at most, but he played the full game so he's out for six weeks."
Fletcher was left out of United's squad for the 3-0 win over Liverpool last weekend, but recovered sufficiently to play in George Burley's first game in charge of Scotland.
"He was recovering from a bad chest cold and we rested him last Sunday because of that," added Ferguson.
"It's a bad blow for us and it's crazy. Supporters will stop going to these kind of games.
"They have the whole of the end of May, too. (England) have fixtures against Trinidad and the USA and I think every manager knows that they're a waste of time."
Fletcher has made 21 appearances for United this season, and his absence will stretch the club's squad as the season moves into its critical final few weeks.
Not a terrible blow but it gives Fergie less rotation options going into the last couple of months of the season.
