Manchester United have suffered a major preseason injury blow after English defender Chris Smalling was ruled out for up to ten weeks with a broken metatarsal. Smalling had been training at United's Carrington headquarters after recovering from a thigh injury that ended his hopes of appearing at the UEFA EURO 2012. However, it has now been confirmed the 22-year-old has suffered a new setback. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told MUTV: "He got an injury on Wednesday and, straight away, we decided to have the operation, so he's out. "It's difficult to say with a metatarsal, but it could be ten weeks. He's not carrying any luck, the kid, but he's young and we've done the right thing in getting it done immediately and getting him back on the road as quickly as we can." Even if Smalling recovers within the timescale anticipated, it would rule him out until the end of September. That would mean the former Fulham man will miss United's opening six Premier League games, plus their opening UEFA Champions League match. In addition, it would condemn Smalling, of whom Roy Hodgson is a big fan, to sit out three England games for certain, and, in all probability, October's FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers with San Marino and Poland too given the limited time the Londoner would have had to get fit. FIFA .