Ryan Giggs will be out of action for four weeks after fracturing his right arm in Manchester United's Premier League game at Aston Villa last night.

The veteran Welshman suffered the injury in a collision with Steve Sidwell during the second half of the 1-1 draw and left Villa Park with his arm in a sling.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed the 36-year-old had been sent for an x-ray and hoped the news would be good.

Instead, the Old Trafford outfit have confirmed Giggs will be sidelined for a period that includes both legs of the UEFA Champions League last-16 clash with AC Milan plus the Carling Cup final with Villa at Wembley on 28 February.

Apart from those high-profile fixtures, Giggs will also miss Premier League games against Everton, West Ham and Wolves. It is a huge blow to Ferguson, given Giggs' vast experience that includes 11 title-winning campaigns.

Arguably the winger has been performing to a more consistent level than ever before and has been rewarded for his longevity with a growing number of individual awards, including the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.