United Bag Two Goals at Ajax

Manchester United midfielder Antonio Valencia faces up to a month out after suffering a hamstring strain during their 2-0 win against Ajax.

Second-half goals from Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez sealed the victory for the visitors against the Dutch side.

Substitute Valencia injured himself while combining to produce United's second goal in Amsterdam.

"It looks like a bad one," Sir Alex Ferguson admitted, confirming that the Ecuadorian could be out for four weeks.

With Manchester United leading 1-0 courtesy of Ashley Young's low shot just before the hour mark, Valencia had been on the field for just over 10 minutes when he supplied the ball to Wayne Rooney, who in turn fed Javier Hernandez for the goal.

While the visitors celebrated a valuable second away strike, Valencia was quickly replaced by Danny Welbeck.

The midfielder will now be out until mid-March, and will miss fixtures including Ajax's return leg at Old Trafford on 23 February, as well as Premier League games against Norwich, Tottenham, West Brom and Wolves.

After the game, Sir Alex Ferguson described his side's performance at times as "very ordinary".

"We didn't play well at all in the first half," he said. "I'm delighted with the scoreline, [but] I think it was very ordinary.

"We didn't really hit any great heights, but we did improve in the second half and we probably deserved to win it."

Ferguson was particularly critical of the pace of his team's play in the first 45 minutes.

"We didn't have any rhythm in our game. Ajax pressed the ball well.

"We didn't get any tempo at all in the first-half. In the second-half we did improve, we made a few chances. It wasn't a brilliant performance but good enough I think."

Hernandez's goal, the second of the evening, puts United in a very strong position as they rest this weekend and welcome Ajax for the return fixture next Thursday.

"We are not taking anything for granted of course but at home, at Old Trafford, the opportunity to go through is a big one," Ferguson said

Cruyff in Ajax Board Clean Out

Johan Cruyff is poised to lose his role on the supervisory board at Ajax.

The Ajax members' council have called on the five-man board to resign following a dispute which Cruyff at its centre.

A rift between Cruyff, a former player and manager at Ajax, and his four fellow supervisory board members had caused off-field disharmony at the Amsterdam club.

Cruyff will now be expected to make way, together with Edgar Davids, Steven ten Have, Paul Romer and Marjan Olfers, after the powerful council gave the supervisory board a vote of no confidence.

Cruyff said on Monday that he and 10 club coaches would take legal action over the appointments of the former manager Louis van Gaal, Danny Blind and Martin Sturkenboom as directors of Ajax.

Cruyff claims he was not consulted by his board colleagues over the appointments.