Manchester United misfit Wilfried Zaha can go on loan providing injuries ease

Wilfried Zaha has made just two substitute appearances for United in the league since joining (Martin Rickett/PA)

David Moyes has told Wilfried Zaha he can leave on loan this month but only if Manchester United's injury problems unexpectedly improve.

With Nani and Ashley Young both out and with no date set for their returns, Moyes is keen to hold on to the £15m winger who arrived from Crystal Palace in the summer but has made just two substitute appearances in the Premier League. Zaha is frustrated by the lack of first-team opportunities and was reported to be involved in a heated argument with Moyes today.

However, the United manager batted away suggestions that the England international had stormed off after learning that a loan move for him had been blocked. "I had 30 seconds chat on the training pitch today and we were talking away. So there was nothing like that," he said.

"I have told him that if I can't get him the games I will put him out on loan. But he can't go out while we have Ashley Young and Nani injured and I would be surprised if anyone thought there was a possibility [of those two returning before the transfer window shuts]."

Moyes has sanctioned the loan of Anderson to Fiorentina until the end of the season. The 25-year-old Brazilian had a medical in Italy today.

United's opponents this weekend, Chelsea, have sent Ryan Bertrand on loan to Aston Villa, his sixth loan spell since joining the club as a 16-year-old in 2005. He has slipped down the pecking order after Cesar Azpilicueta replaced Ashley Cole as first-choice left-back and becomes the 24th Chelsea player to be sent out on loan this season.

Jose Mourinho said that Bertrand could yet become a first-team regular at Chelsea despite being 24: "I don't think it [the chance] is slipping away from him. If he's playing at this moment and Ashley Cole is not on the bench, you would ask me about killing Ashley's hopes of going to the World Cup."