Alexis Sanchez injury: Manchester United forward a doubt to face Southampton and Arsenal

The club have confirmed that Sanchez ‘will require further investigation to confirm the severity' of the injury after suffering a hamstring problem in training

Manchester United's Alexis Sanchez is doubtful for Saturday's Premier League visit to Southampton after suffering a hamstring problem in training on Thursday, with the forward also a facing a race to be fit to face former club Arsenal next week.

The injury to the Chile forward, who was left out of the squad for Tuesday's Champions League victory over Young Boys, "will require further investigation to confirm its severity", the club said on Thursday night.

United will look to get back to winning ways in the Premier League at St Mary’s this Saturday, but with the visit of Arsenal to Old Trafford following next Wednesday, the 29-year-old is already a doubt to take on the club that sold him last January.

Sanchez came off the bench in this month's league games against Manchester City and Crystal Palace but last started in the victory at Juventus in the Champions League on 7 November.

United are struggling in seventh place in the league with 21 points from 13 games ahead of the trip to St Mary's.

United have exercised their option to extend goalkeeper David De Gea's contract for another year as talks continue on a long-term deal.

The Spain international's contract was due to finish at the end of the season, which would have allowed him to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from 1 January.

Manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday hailed De Gea, 28, as the best keeper in the world after United clinched a place in the Champions League last 16 and said the Spaniard, whose superb save kept out the Swiss, wanted to remain at Old Trafford.

De Gea saw his contract extended by United on Thursday (Action Images via Reuters)

“I know he wants to stay, I know his agent is happy to do what the player wants and I also know the board want him to stay and they are working on that so hopefully sooner or later they reach a conclusion," Mourinho said this week.

Reuters