Manchester United

Europe: UEFA Champions League (Group B)

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 attempts to depose the current Premier League leaders. However, the Scotland star knows he will still be experiencing an element of discomfort from a long-standing injury he aggravated against Sunderland last month, which he accepts will eventually consign him to surgery. "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."