Manchester United midfielder Carlos Baleba faces weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, manager Michael Carrick has confirmed.

The 22-year-old Cameroon international pulled up in the first minute of the second half of Tuesday's 3-2 Champions League win over Roma, clutching his hamstring as he bore down on goal, and left the pitch in tears. Carrick gave the update at his pre-match press conference on Friday 6 November.

"Carlos, we don't know exactly, but it will be a number of weeks," Carrick said. "It's definitely not this week, and he won't be back at any point over the international break. It'll be a little bit longer than that."

United wait on the full extent

The injury rules Baleba out of Sunday's home Premier League game against Aston Villa, and he is also expected to miss the trip to Liverpool on 22 November and the Champions League visit to Sporting Lisbon three days later. United are still waiting to learn the full extent of the problem, and it is not yet clear whether he will play again this year.

It is a fresh blow for a player whose United career has barely started. Baleba joined from Brighton in a £70 million summer move, but an ankle ligament injury in pre-season delayed his competitive debut until 10 October against Tottenham. He has made only seven appearances, five of them starts, although he had started each of United's last three Premier League games.

United, 17th in the league and seeking their first Premier League win since August, also have a doubt over left-back Patrick Dorgu for Sunday's game against Villa, although he has returned to training after a hamstring problem picked up on international duty with Denmark.