The injury is similar to that suffered by Alan Smith when playing for United in an FA Cup tie at Liverpool in February 2006. Television pictures of the incident were so upsetting that Sky did not show replays, instead focusing on the reaction of Valencia's team-mates and opponents. Players from both teams were visibly distressed, many having to look away as Valencia received lengthy treatment before being carried on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance. The Ecuadorian winger appeared to catch his studs in the turf, with the Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot close to him. Photographs showed the winger's ankle hanging limply and at the wrong angle.
"He's gone straight to hospital and he will be operated on in the morning," said the Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. "It's a dislocation and a fracture and he's going to be out for a long time. It's a really bad blow for the boy. It's similar to the injury Alan Smith got." Smith's rehabilitation lasted seven months, although he has said that he should have waited longer to return. There is a strong case to be made that Smith, who is now at Newcastle United, has not been the same player since his injury. Citing the example of Smith, Ferguson said: "You're talking about [Valencia missing] the rest of the season. It was a really innocuous challenge and you wouldn't have expected anything but as soon as we saw their player waving, we knew it was a bad one."
