Ivory Coast's Bailly plays down injury fears after emergency return to Manchester United

Eric Bailly said he was just tired after he made an emergency return to Manchester United for their 3-1 Premier League win over Burnley.

Bailly made his third league start of the season on Thursday but he was replaced by Raphael Varane in the 66th minute.

His substitution raised injury fears ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations that will begin on January 6 but the Ivory Coast international has declared that he is feeling good and he is happy Manchester United ended 2021 with a ‘good win’.

"Thank you to all of the fans for the support tonight. It was a good victory. I am good, I am good, just tired. A good win to finish the year," Bailly said in a video, per the club's website.

At the end of Thursday’s encounter, Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick confirmed that Bailly was hurriedly summoned to return after he had left the club for preparations with Ivory Coast.

“Eric had already left, actually, three or four days ago for the Africa Cup of Nations, but he was still in Spain and we asked him to come back,” said the German to reporters.

“I think he did well, apart from the mistake for the goal we conceded, so I think it was a very good performance from Eric. It was very concentrated and very focused.”

Bailly could also be involved in the Red Devils' Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers on January 3.