Portents are bleak for United without Keane

Although certain members of Manchester United's squad might breathe more easily without him, the question that occupied most minds at Old Trafford last night was how they would cope without Roy Keane.

At first sight, Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to allow his captain to undergo the operation on a hip injury which has troubled him for the last six months seems typically shrewd. The three-match ban he incurred following the elbowing of Jason McAteer at Sunderland on Saturday, plus any punishment the FA might dole out because of his autobiography, are now irrelevant.

Pain from his troubled hip was a reason Keane objected so fiercely to the hard pitches Ireland used in their World Cup training camp and which partially triggered his walk-out. "I wanted him to have the operation in the summer," Ferguson said. "But he wanted to go to the World Cup. When he came home in the midst of all that carry-on, it proved too much of a distraction to have the operation."

It may not, however, be that straightforward. Keane will be out until December and thus will miss the first group phase of the Champions' League. Since Bayer Leverkusen, who have in any case begun their latest attempt to win the Bundesliga in a desultory fashion, are the only real threats, his absence may pass unnoticed.

The Premiership, however, is a different matter. Ferguson has already stated he expects this to be a highly competitive league and the advantage Manchester United should have had, given that Arsenal had to start their defence of the title without Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg, has been dissipated by injuries to Wes Brown, Gary Neville, Fabien Barthez, Paul Scholes, and now Keane. Ljungberg and Pires are expected to return next month.

The three trophyless seasons United have endured in the Premiership have each coincided with the loss of a key player. In 1995 it was Eric Cantona, banned for nine months for his leap into the crowd at Selhurst Park, while Keane's lay-offs have had a similarly destabilising effect.

The tackle on Alfie Haaland in September 1997 which tore his cruciate ligaments and ruled him out for the rest of the season was initially overcome – United entered the new year in first place. However, as Arsenal began the challenge that was to take Arsène Wenger to his first Double while United suffered more injuries, Ferguson reflected on what might have been had Keane been fit. "No team could avoid being diminished by the absence of such a driving force and the effects became particularly apparent at vital stages of our European Cup challenge."

Last season it was Keane's knee that plagued him. He should not have started against Deportivo La Coruña in a game two blunders from Barthez handed to the Galicians and he missed United's subsequent trip to Anfield in which their midfield was taken apart by Liverpool. Keane dubbed it a "surrender" and United never really recovered.

The fact that they lost after taking the lead at Old Trafford – something which had never previously happened in the Premiership – and against Bolton of all teams, would have been unimaginable had Keane been present.

This time United will have to cope better or face another season of under-achievement.