Intrigue over Manchester United’s poor injury record this season deepened on Friday night when it emerged that their respected and long-serving fitness coach Tony Strudwick is no longer involved in key first team duties.

United manager Louis van Gaal revealed on Friday that he has nine players missing injured ahead of Saturday's visit of West Ham United in the Barclays Premier League. Van Gaal has described the crisis as the worst he has ever known.

Now it has emerged that first team fitness expert Strudwick has been moved from his usual role to a job looking after the physical development of the club’s younger players. It is understood that Van Gaal’s long serving fitness guru Jos van Dijk is now in control of fitness planning and programming for the club’s elite stars click to see more pics

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