Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has admitted that it is taking longer than he initially thought to regain fitness.
The 26-year-old has been out of action with a broken foot since September, but came through a stint in the reserves' 5-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday evening.
"It's nice to get 60-odd minutes under my belt," Evans told MUTV. "It's been a long time coming. I didn't expect to be out this long so I'm pleased to get some minutes.
"I think the manager will have to assess [a first-team recall] and also the fitness coaches. I've been training for a week or two now but it's taking me time to get my fitness up as I've been out for so long."
United have experienced a number of injury woes this season, with Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo among those currently on the sidelines.