Michael Carrick, the Manchester United midfielder, has been ruled out for up to six weeks with a fractured right elbow.

The 26-year-old suffered the injury during the latter stages of his side’s Champions League victory over Roma at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Although Carrick appeared in no discomfort immediately after the game, X-rays have revealed the full extent of the problem, leaving Sir Alex Ferguson facing a selection headache for Saturday’s encounter with Wigan Athletic as Owen Hargreaves has also been ruled out for another month after having had an injection to combat tendinitis in his knee.

It means that Paul Scholes will be available as the only recognised central midfielder as Darren Fletcher is also sidelined by a knee injury.

Given the period includes a two-week international break and a free midweek at the end of this month, caused by United's surprising Carling Cup exit to Coventry City, the damage to United’s prospects is not as serious as it might have been.

While Carrick will probably not be in action until the trip to Bolton Wanderers on November 24, Hargreaves could return for the key trip to Arsenal on November 3.

It means Ferguson will shuffle his pack for the next four games, including the Champions League visit to Dynamo Kiev on October 23.

Brazilian new boy Anderson is capable of playing in central midfield but a more likely alternative would be John O’Shea, who himself has only just recovered from a knee injury. The Irishman starred at right back against Roma this week but Ferguson has more options at that position as Wes Brown is not due to be sidelined long term, Gary Neville is about to begin his comeback from long-standing injury and he could also turn to rookie Danny Simpson, who made his first-team debut against Coventry.

For Carrick though it is a frustrating break, which means he will be unable to put any pressure on Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry for the England midfield spot alongside Steven Gerrard.

Not only will the former Tottenham Hotspur player miss this month’s double header with Estonia and Russia, he is almost certainly out of the friendly in Austria on November 16 and the final European Championship qualifier against Croatia five days later.

Carrick has not quite hit the form he showed for United last season and was heavily criticised for his performance in England's friendly defeat against Germany in August, resulting in him being left out of the qualifiers against Israel and Russia.