CHRIS PERRY faces the prospect of long-term injury after failing to re-appear for the second half of Charlton’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The in-form central defender had played a starring role in a determined rearguard

action before being replaced at the break by Jonathan Fortune.

At first it was thought Perry was suffering from stiffness in a groin but manager Alan Curbishley disclosed that he could face surgery for a hernia problem.

His chances of facing Chelsea on Saturday at The Valley are slim.

The consistent Perry is a strong candidate for the club’s Player of the Year accolade and a lengthy absence would be a huge blow as Curbishley seeks to sharpen the team’s defensive resilience.

Curbishley said: "Chris was getting sore as the game went on, that’s why we took the decision to take him off at half-time. At the moment I don’t know how long he’ll be out for.

"People can play with hernias until it gets too sore. We’ll have to see if that’s the case. We’ll assess him this week to see if it is a hernia or just a groin strain."