ALEX Gorrin is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after a scan revealed he has torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The midfielder suffered the injury during the Emirates FA Cup clash against Bristol Rovers on Sunday and will see a specialist in the next few days.

Despite the seriousness of the injury, Gorrin said he would remain positive in the coming months.

He said: “It’s a tough one. In the game, I felt a pain on my knee.

“They checked it and I went for an MRI scan – I got the results and I’ve done my ACL.

“It’s not great news, I need to see a specialist but I’ve always been a positive guy.

“Obviously I’m not going to hide it.”

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk suffered an ACL injury and missed the majority of last season, with Roy Keane, Alan Shearer and Ruud van Nistelrooy among those to have spent significant time out with the injury.

Gorrin said he was in denial even when club physio Amy Cranston told him an ACL injury was possible.

He said: “You always think as a footballer, it’ll never happen to me.

“Even Amy said after the game, ‘look, I’m going to be honest with you, it could be your cruciate’ and I was in denial, it’s not going to be that surely.

“When you get the scans back, it’s one thing seeing you have it and another thing when you get told.

“It is what it is, I can’t go back now and change it.

“I’m going to crack on and work hard, and then come back.”

U’s boss Karl Robinson said: “It was just one of those unfortunate things and typical of Alex he wanted to try and play on.

“Our medical team is excellent and we are all grown-ups: they told Alex straight what they thought it was after the game and the scan just confirmed it.  

“He will be out for a few months but as we know, he is a fantastic pro and we know he will be back as good as ever.

“Meanwhile, we will look after him, keep him involved, and make sure he still feels part of what we are building as a team.”