Hargreaves admits he may be injured for years

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Owen Hargreaves continues to be troubled by injury

The 27-year-old England midfielder has endured a stop-start debut season at Manchester United after arriving from Bayern Munich with a tendon injury.

Although Hargreaves has officially been "fit" since Christmas, he admitted the problem has still not cleared up. "It's something the doctors say I have to manage because when you get this problem it stays with you," said Hargreaves.

"It's the patella tendon and it's different to most injuries.

"If you break something, that's easy. The bone or the ligament will heal.

"But the tendon is more complicated. It has to burn itself out.

"Sometimes it takes a few months, sometimes a few years.

"There aren't a lot of answers."

Hargreaves — an £18m signing — made only his 18th United start on Wednesday and will be left sweating over his own place for the semi-final against Barcelona.

He added: "I'd like to play every game but it's not possible and you have to say 'Hats off' to the lads who have been in the team ahead of me."

Injury-plagued Gary Neville, who returned on Wednesday, can't wait for the Barca tie, saying: "We played two games against them in '99 and both were 3-3 and that's the type of game you'll get. I don't think defending will be a priority.

"We've matured a lot since two years ago and even last year we weren't quite ready.

"But this year there is a determination within the players to go all the way."