MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United striker Robin van Persie will miss up to six weeks with a left knee injury, ruling the Netherlands striker out of both legs of a Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich and potentially six Premier League games. It is a major blow to Uniteds hopes of winning the Champions League, which realistically is the clubs only route back into Europes top competition next season. Following a second scan on the injury on Friday, United said Van Persie has a "sprained knee which will keep him out for around 4-6 weeks." He appears to be in no danger of missing the World Cup finals in Brazil beginning in mid-June — the worst-case scenario according to Uniteds diagnosis is that Van Persie is out until the start of May, leaving him available for the last two or three league games in Uniteds season. Van Persie, who has scored 23 goals in 29 games for club and country this season, was carried off on a stretcher after hurting his knee in a challenge from behind toward the end of Wednesdays 3-0 victory over Olympiakos, in which he scored a hat trick to send his team into the last eight. United is seventh in the Premier League after its humiliating 3-0 loss to Liverpool last weekend, 12 points adrift of fourth-place Manchester City having played two more games. A finish in the top six would qualify United for next seasons Europa League, and sixth-place Everton is three points ahead with a game in hand. It will be a second significant spell on the sidelines for Van Persie this season — he played just two games across 2 1/2 months over the turn of the year because of groin then thigh problems. The news punctures some of the optimism that has spread through Old Trafford after the victory over Olympiakos, which came just as the pressure was beginning to build on manager David Moyes. Moyes has Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez as alternatives up front to partner Wayne Rooney. Otherwise, Moyes could decide to play Rooney as his main striker and move Juan Mata, signed in January for a record fee of 37.1 million pounds ($61.2 million), into his favoured No. 10 role just in behind. Mata has played out wide in recent games, to little effect. Joe Dumars Jersey . 1 goaltender tonight when they conclude a four-game road trip versus the Winnipeg Jets. Ish Smith Jersey . Giants manager Bruce Bochy told The Associated Press of the decision before NL West-leading San Francisco opened a 10-game homestand Monday night with the first of three games against second-place Arizona. http://www.cheappistonsjerseys.com/?tag=...laimbeer-jersey. -- The Phoenix Coyotes have won three in a row for the first time in 4 1/2 months, and theyve done it just in time for the stretch run to the playoffs. Tracy McGrady Jersey . Obasi chested the ball past one defender, prodded it past another and then rounded the keeper before scoring from a tight angle in the 16th minute. Seconds after the restart, Obasi set up Klaas Jan Huntelaar for the Dutchmans 11th goal from 13 games this season. Isiah Thomas Jersey .com) - The NBA will be on display overseas Thursday with the New York Knicks taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at O2 Arena in London.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Reds agreed to a $3.05 million, two-year deal with reliever Sam LeCure on Friday and one-year contracts with starter Mike Leake and reliever Alfredo Simon, leaving them with two players in salary arbitration. LeCure gets base salaries of $1.2 million this year and $1.85 million in 2015. The deal includes escalators and bonuses. Leake agreed to a $5,925,000 deal after exchanging arbitration figures on Friday. Leake was asking for $6.2 million in arbitration, the club offered $5,650,000, and they met at roughly the midpoint. Leake is coming off his best season, going 14-7 with a 3.77 ERA in 31 starts. The Reds remain far apart with starter Homer Bailey, who asked for $11.6 million and was offered $8.7 million. Bailey went 11-12 last season with a 3.49 ERA aand a club-high 199 strikeouts in 32 starts.dddddddddddd He also pitched his second no-hitter in two years. Bailey made $5.35 million last season. Closer Aroldis Chapman asked for $5.4 million while the club offered $4.6 million. The hard-throwing left-hander went 4-5 with 38 saves and a 2.54 ERA in 68 appearances with 112 strikeouts in 63 2-3 innings. First-year manager Bryan Price is considering using him for more than one inning at a time this season. If they cant reach an agreement, arbitration hearings would be held in February. All of Major League Baseballs arbitration cases were settled without hearings last year. The Reds settled with their other arbitration-eligible player on Thursday when outfielder Chris Heisey agreed to a $1.76 million, one-year contract. ' ' '