Manchester United have confirmed that Michael Carrick is expected to be on the sidelines for around three months following ankle surgery.

New manager Louis van Gaal revealed this afternoon during a press conference that losing the midfielder is a "blow".

The Dutchman confirmed that Carrick will be out of action for a "long time", and now the club has announced via its official Twitter page that the 32-year-old will miss 10 to 12 weeks after undergoing surgery this morning on his left ankle ligaments.

Meanwhile, Van Gaal has refused to give any predictions regarding what the team can achieve during his first season in charge.