David Beckham limped to his seat on the plane from La Coruna to Manchester yesterday, his left ankle heavily strapped and a bandage protecting his right shin. Grimacing and clearly in considerable discomfort, he gratefully fell into his seat; his team-mates burst into applause.
Sir Alex Ferguson's assertion that the England captain would be fit within a week was an unexpected prognosis. However, there was no mistaking the relief in Manchester United's camp after tests revealed that Beckham's injury was not as serious as initially feared.
After a delayed flight he went straight from Manchester airport to the treatment room at United's training ground, and he will have an x-ray once the swelling around his ankle has gone down. As well as severe bruising he has suffered two deep gashes but, crucially, the doctors have found no damage to the ligaments or bone and, wearing flip-flops, he was able to drive himself home.
"I'm not thinking about David in terms of Saturday's game at Leicester, but hopefully he will back next Wednesday," said Ferguson. Yet it would be remarkable if Beckham were to be fit for the second leg of United's Champions League quarter-final against Deportivo La Coruna, when they will defend a 2-0 lead after Tuesday night's scintillating performance in the Riazor Stadium.
The prognosis for Roy Keane, carried off in equal pain with a torn hamstring, is much worse, however. As United kept Sven-Goran Eriksson updated on Beckham's progress yesterday, the England coach's Republic of Ireland counterpart Mick McCarthy was also keeping the Old Trafford switchboard busy. Keane's injury should not affect his chances of playing in the World Cup, but it may have ended his domestic season.
Like Beckham, Keane was walking gingerly as he boarded yesterday's flight. "It's not too good," he admitted, and it was clear United's first win against Spanish opposition in Spain came at a heavy price.
Of all his players, Ferguson relies upon the talismanic Keane more than anyone and the manager could not conceal his dismay at such a debilitating loss at this crucial stage of the season. "Roy will be out for a minimum of three to four weeks. But these things can take six weeks," he said. "If we get to the [Champions League] semi-finals, I don't think Roy will be there."
Of more immediate consequence, Keane's absence will be a significant setback to United's hopes of winning a fourth successive Premiership title. The advantage already lay with Arsenal, and to a lesser extent Liverpool, and now that is even more the case - particularly as Keane will miss the end-of-season clash with Arsène Wenger's side at Old Trafford.
With only 41 days to go before the European Cup final, there must be genuine fears, too, about whether he will have recovered in time should United reach Hampden. It would be a cruel blow for Keane, who also missed the defeat of Bayern Munich in the 1999 decider.
"I think the players owe Roy a final," said Ferguson, who will now rely on Nicky Butt in the holding midfield position. "He [Butt] has never let us down. He's a certainty for the World Cup; in fact, if it wasn't for Steven Gerrard I think he would be in the first XI."
Such lavish praise does not disguise the fact that Butt is no Keane. Another option would be to partner Juan Sebastian Veron and Paul Scholes in central midfield. However, Scholes has shown his best form when drifting inside from the left recently, while Ryan Giggs has been a revelation after coming off the wing to play behind Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Ferguson will want to persist with his preferred 4-4-1-1 formation in Europe, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer capable of replacing Beckham.
Next Wednesday, it may be a case of which midfielders are fit. Scholes is out after picking up a one-match ban and Veron is doubtful because of an achilles injury. Quinton Fortune and Phil Neville may be drafted in, but do not expect a recall for the ostracised Dwight Yorke.
La Coruna's Diego Tristan, meanwhile, has been condemned in the Spanish press for his stoppage-time foul on Beckham. "He shamed his team," said El Pais. "Tristan's unquestionable talent has hidden his behaviour this season." It added: "Manchester passed through Riazor with almost insulting elegance." And Marca said that the Premiership champions had produced "a football concerto".
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