Mike Phelan confirmed that Owen Hargreaves' fitness would be assessed over the next couple of days after his first game back from injury was cut short on Saturday.
The midfielder was surprisingly included in the Manchester United starting XI for their clash with Wolves but limped off after just a few minutes.
Hargreaves has spent the past couple of years battling tendinitis in his knees and assistant manager Phelan admits the gamble to play him backfired.
However, it appeared to a pulled hamstring that forced Hargreaves to be replaced against Wolves and Phelan is hopeful that it will not set him back too much.
"It was disappointing for Owen, it is just the way things are going for him at the moment," the assistant manager told Sky Sports.
"He has made himself available, he has worked extremely hard in the two years that he has been out and he has had his little blips along the way.
"It didn't work out for him today. It was a risk and that's the way it goes in football."
Asked if it was likely to be only a minor setback, Phelan added: "We're hoping so. We will assess every situation in the next 48 hours and just see where he is at.
"But hopefully it is not what everybody might fear and we will move on with the boy."
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits his decision to take a risk on Hargreaves ended in "disaster".
"I took a gamble with Hargreaves but he'd been training really well and I thought by picking him we'd have a compact midfield with experience," Ferguson told MUTV.
"But it only lasted a couple of minutes, it was a disaster."
Apart from the early withdrawal of Hargreaves it was another positive day for United, who have made a habit of scoring crucial late goals over the years.
Park Ji-sung netted in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 victory against Wolves and Phelan was delighted with the character his players showed.
He was especially pleased because a virus has swept through the United camp this week and some of the players lined up despite not being fully fit.
"It (late goals) has happened many times before but it just shows the spirit of these players that were on the field," said Phelan.
"It wasn't a great performance and I think Wolverhampton will be a bit disappointed, but we kept going in true Manchester United spirit and we got our rewards.
"Those players that were out there are a credit because it is not easy when you are under the influence of a bug, but now they can rest and look forward to the next game."
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