Brian McBride will be out of action at Fulham until January.

The Fulham captain suffered a dislocated patella whilst scoring Fulham's opening goal in last Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough.

He has flown back to his homeland, and is expected to face a four-month lay-off during which he will be put through intense rehabilitation.

Manager Lawrie Sanchez said: "He is having an operation and we expect him to be out until Christmas.

"He is captain, he is a centre forward who wins a lot in the air and is a big presence in the dressing room.

"So he is quite a big loss for us."

Sanchez is particularly disappointed to lose his captain after he had begun to work well with new strike partner David Healy.

Sanchez added: "They had an understanding going. They work for each other and David can read Brian's flick-ons.

"It is disappointing, particularly in the action of scoring his first goal of the season when it was all flowing."