Former Manchester United assistant Mike Phelan believes Louis van Gaal is to blame for the club's recent injury woes.
The injury to defender Chris Smalling in Monday night's 2-1 win over Southampton extended United's tally to 42 reported injuries since van Gaal took over.
Phelan, who worked closely with Sir Alex Ferguson, was shown the door when David Moyes replaced the Scotsman last year and believes that the dismissal of fitness coach Tony Strudwick when van Gaal walked in the Old Trafford entrance has contributed to the injury crisis.
"What's happened is a continuation of the same players getting injured all the time, so you have to look to the reasons why," Phelan told the International Business Times.
"I think Manchester United changed their thoughts on the fitness regime, they looked at it a little bit differently.
"Tony Strudwick, who was operating as head of sports science, was involved day to day with the first team.
"He understood the ins and outs of how to keep players fit, how to keep them ready for competition.
"Then suddenly they moved him sideways and did something completely different. That may have had an effect. That one area has changed."
Phelan, now with Norwich City, added: "van Gaal knows now roughly the intensity of the Premier League and what his players can produce. He's been at the highest level, working with the highest players, in different countries.
"It's just a case of maybe understanding the specific requirements of players, individual players, where they need to be at certain times in order to perform. He's got enough staff there to sort that out."
