Manchester United vs QPR: Phil Jones ruled out for three weeks after picking up hamstring injury in England's win over Switzerland

Jones limped out of the 2-0 win in the 73rd minute and could miss United's next three matches having already been ruled out of the visit of QPR

Phil Jones (Getty Images)

Manchester United’s defensive concerns have not been helped by the news that Phil Jones will miss up to three weeks after suffering a hamstring injury during England’s 2-0 victory over Switzerland.

The Three Lions got their 2016 European Championship campaign up and running with a promising win as Danny Welbeck scored twice to somewhat banish the memories of the dismal World Cup campaign during the summer.

However, United will be rueing the injury suffered by Jones as he looks set for a period on the sidelines, having already been ruled out of Sunday’s visit of Queens Park Rangers. United are still searching for their first competitive win under Louis van Gaal, and they’ve shown a defensive frailty that goes back to the beginning of David Moyes’s reign at the club that needs to be addressed if they are to return to the top of the Premier League anytime soon.

Van Gaal will hope that his new signings will be able to do that, with Luke Shaw, Marcus Rojo and Daely Blind all in the running to make their debut for the club this weekend. Despite concerns that Jones could miss up to a month of action, the belief is that he could be back in three weeks, which would means he’d miss the Premier League encounters against QPR, Leicester and West Ham, but his absence will not be too costly as United don’t have the Champions League and League Cup third round fixtures to deal with.

United supporters could be treated to the debuts of the three new arrivals, but there is one on particular that will grab the headlines as Radamel Falcao prepares to make his first appearance since agreeing a season-long loan from Monaco on transfer deadline day.

The Colombian striker has done recovered from cruciate ligament damage suffered earlier in the year that ruled him out of the World Cup, and Van Gaal could hand him a place in the starting line-up should he deem him up to speed and ready to kick-start United’s faltering season.