Moyes Tempers Fears Over Serious United Defensive Injury

Manchester United manager David Moyes has calmed fears regarding the head injury suffered by captain Nemanja Vidic in the win over Arsenal at Old Trafford.

The Serbian centre back was replaced at half-time after colliding with goalkeeper David de Gea in the first half. Vidic received lengthy treatment before being led down the tunnel by United medical staff.

After criticism of Tottenham Hotspur's handling of Hugo Lloris' head injury suffered against Everton last weekend, when the French goalkeeper resumed after being knocked unconscious by Romelu Lukaku, United took no risks over Vidic on Sunday.

"I didn't see the incident at first," Moyes said. "From the touchline, I thought it was just a clash but I've had a chance to see it now and he took a terrible blow.

"But as far as I know, he is okay. He is conscious, he will get a scan and we hope he will be okay."

Players substituted for concussion are obligated under Football Association guidelines not to return to action for five days, a ruling which saw Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini miss the Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund after coming off against Norwich City the previous weekend.

With United not in action for another two weeks due to the international break, Vidic, who retired from Serbia duty in 2011, has sufficient time to recover before the league trip to Cardiff City on 24 November.

The furore regarding Tottenham's treatment of Lloris, who missed the visit of Newcastle United on Sunday as he continued to recover from the blow to the head, has widened the debate about football's receptiveness to the seriousness of head injuries.

While Vidic is expected to make a fully recovery, the plight of midfielder Michael Carrick is less positive with the United man expected to withdraw from England's squad to face Chile and Germany with an Achillies problem.

Carrick hasn't featured in the last fortnight, last playing in the win over Stoke City in October but returned to inspire United to victory over the Premier League leaders.

But the 32 year old has aggravated the problem says the international double-header will likely come too soon.

"I have been carrying the injury for a few weeks now," Carrick admitted. "I was a bit patched up to play today. I got through it but it doesn't look too good."