Luis Antonio Valencia was injured at Old Trafford last week and his season is in ruins, with quite possibly his playing career and future in serious jeopardy.
Alan Smith, once a hero of Leeds United and Manchester United, hopes Valencia will make a full recovery but the former England international has admitted he has never been the same player after the dislocated ankle and broken leg he suffered more than four years ago.
Alan Smith: "I’ve not been the same player since my injury.
"Eduardo had the same injury and he struggled so much and the thing is you’ve got to make the best of it.
"I’ve changed my position and I’m still trying to learn that and it's good for me, it's interesting.
'Every game and every week is definitely a bonus because it would have been so easy to pack it in or not fight hard enough to get back in and so easy to let your standards drop.
'It takes hours of work, hopefully Antonio Valencia will be able to get back to the level that he was at before. I know it will be very difficult but I’d like to wish him all the best.'