( CNN ) -- Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia could return to action in February , manager Alex Ferguson told the English Premier League club 's official website . Valencia dislocated and fractured his left ankle after tangling with Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot in a UEFA Champions League match on Tuesday , and it was feared he may miss the remainder of the season . However , Ferguson allayed these concerns , saying the injury was not as bad as first thought . `` Antonio had his operation and it was successful . The break was clean and we were delighted to announce that . It was a major concern for us at the time . '' The 68-year-old Scot is hopeful Valencia may still be able to play a part in the Premier League season , and has praised the attitude of the former Wigan player . `` There is ligament damage but we are looking at the end of February , which is better than we thought on Tuesday night . He is a strong boy and he is very positive about it -- being positive helps in these situations . ''
Antonio Valencia Manchester United 's is expected to be out of action until February . Rangers suffered a broken ankle in Tuesday 's Champions Leagu game against Valencia . Manager Manchester United 's said : `` He 's a strong boy and he is very positive about it . ''