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The worst fears of Sir Alex Ferguson and Steve McClaren were realised last night when a scan confirmed that Wayne Rooney had suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot, the third such injury of his young career. The Manchester United forward is expected to miss a number of crucial matches for club and country.
Rooney suffered the fracture in a clash with Michael Duberry as United began the defence of their Barclays Premier League title with a disappointing goalless draw at home to Reading.
A scan revealed that he had suffered a fracture, which is almost certain to rule him out of England’s critical European Championship qualifying matches at home to Israel and Russia on September 8 and 12 respectively, and potentially the return match against Russia in Moscow and the home game against Estonia in October, as well as the opening stages of United’s Premier League and Champions League campaigns.
Further tests today are likely to reveal more about Rooney’s recovery time. The club could not confirm last night whether he had fallen victim to the “curse of the metatarsal”, which has twice claimed him before - as well as David Beckham and Steven Gerrard - in which event he could be out of action for anything upwards of five weeks.
Ferguson, the United manager, can at least call on Carlos Tévez, who is now in line to make his debut away to Portsmouth on Wednesday, but for McClaren, the England head coach, Rooney’s injury is most unwelcome at a time when there are concerns over the fitness of numerous other senior players, including Gary Neville, John Terry, Beckham and Michael Owen. Peter Crouch will miss the match against Israel because of suspension.
“It started to swell up at half-time,” Ferguson said before the results of the scan were known. “There was a bit of swelling and he was in some difficulty with the pain. There was no point sending him out for the second half.”
Rooney, 21, fractured a metatarsal in his right foot during England’s Euro 2004 quarter-final against Portugal in a challenge with Jorge Andrade. He suffered a similar injury against Chelsea less than six weeks before the start of the 2006 World Cup finals and was never at his best in a tournament that ended with a red card in another quarter-final defeat by Portugal.
Without Rooney after half-time yesterday, United failed to break down a Reading team who held firm even when Dave Kitson was sent off only 37 seconds after coming on as a substitute, for a high challenge on Patrice Evra. It was a dispiriting result for United on a weekend when their principal rivals all won, albeit with difficulty. After Liverpool’s 2-1 win away to Aston Villa on Saturday, Arsenal required two late goals to beat Fulham yesterday, while Chelsea endured some nervous moments at Stamford Bridge before beating Birmingham City 3-2.
“It’s a disappointing result for us, but it’s only day one,” Ferguson said. “I’ve got absolutely no criticism of the team at all. I thought they did absolutely everything they could. We just couldn’t convert our chances.”
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In response to Tom from Colchester.
I think that to blame Duberry for Rooneys injury is just a little unfair and also the suggestion that Reading went out to deliberetly injure the opposition players is also a little harsh.
Yes the game was dull due to the tactics employed by Reading, but they managed to achieve their objective and should be praised for that, this is probably the only way they could have got something from the game. A fantastic defensive performance and a Coppell masterplan managed to frustrate a team that cost many millions more than Reading. They are not a dirty team, you only need to look at their disaplinary record over the last three seasons to see that.
As for diving and looking for free kicks, I agree, it's disgraceful and should not be allowed - but every team does it - including Man Utd.
Russell, Coventry, UK
ahem. "england left cursing.... "? united, surely?
apparently, fergie still hasn't woken up to the idea that united need some cover up front as saha and ogs are semi-permanent crocks, neither rooney nor tevez are really centre forwards and united are constantly pressed into using giggs and ronaldo as strikers.
I would say it is lucky this happened during the transfer window, but fergie clearly has no intenetion of buying. of course, united could do with a defensive midfielder and proper cover at right-back as well.
we had the benefit of two central defenders playing full back, a left back on the wing and another central defender drafted in to play centre forward. so much money spent, so little squad depth.
jem, london, uk
ahem. "england left cursing.... "? united, surely?
apparently, fergie still hasn't woken up to the idea that united need some cover up front as saha and ogs are semi-permanent crocks, neither rooney nor tevez are really centre forwards and united are constantly pressed into using giggs and ronaldo as strikers.
I would say it is lucky this happened during the transfer window, but fergie clearly has no intenetion of buying. of course, united could do with a defensive midfielder and proper cover at right-back as well.
we had the benefit of two central defenders playing full back, a left back on the wing and another central defender drafted in to play centre forward. so much money spent, so little squad depth.
jem, london, uk
i don' t understand all the fuss about rooney he's a promise didn't achieve anything specia to the day , i don't think the english team or man u will miss himl
nawel, FRANCE,
rooneyis a myth,united have bought tezer to win the premiershit,roonry id 90%pr 10%talk,i doubt if englaand willeverwin a cup withplayers of rooneys standard.regard yoday.
michael joseph heavey, cahersiveen/adams town, MADNESS
before the start of the season, i thought all smart money was on united. it will be interesting how they cope without rooney. they were fortunate enough, last term to suffer minimal effects due to injuries. this may turn out to be the most open season in a while.
Simosezwe Nyoni, Pretoria, South Africa
So Rooney is injured - the end of the World must now surely be nigh!
Rodney Barker, Gainsborough, England U.K.
Suffering pains is also footballer's normal job. I hope he will recover soon.
cc, shanghai, China
It's got to be the boots that are causing the problem. Yes you want them comfortable and light but if you're ploughing millions into a football club you need to ensure you're prize assets are better protected.
Martin Ballantyne, Congleton, UK
One minute everyones writing "ooh Sir Alex has bought too many strikers", "Tevez is too similar to Rooney" etc. The next theres a striker "crisis" at United as they only have 3 genuine forwards left! (not to mention another 2 or 3 who could play there if need be)... How I wish I was a reporter building fantasy from the mundane.
Nacom, Manchester,
Enjoyment of watching the Premiership is sullied by negative play be it diving, looking for free kicks (Gerrard yesterday?) or the routine willingness of players such as Carvalho to stifle attacks with blatant 'professional' fouls.
ITS RICH TO HEAR A MANC FAN HAVING A GO ABOUT DIVING,BUT NEVER MIND,IM GLAD TO READ A FORUM ABOUT UNITED AND SUPRISE SUPRISE,THE MIGHTY LIVERPOOL ARE BEING ATTACKED.WHAT ELSE DID TOM WANT READING TO DO?THEY PLAY TO THERE STRENGTH
OF FIT AND WELL DRILLED PRO'S.
STOP CRYIN,YOUVE GOT THE BEST MANAGER IN PREM HISTORY AND WE'LL DO WELL TO FINISH ABOVE YOU.
BRING IT ON ,A NEW AGE HAS ARRIVED.
mickey red eyes, merseyside,
This part of Rooneyâs body may be his Achilles heel. The question is whether it is the footwear, pitch or his nutrition. An acid based diet such as the fast food he likes to eat and sugar drinks can help create an unbalance in the body causing the leaching of calcium from his bones. A Gabriel Cousens MD at the www.treeoflife.nu has worked on a personal nutrition plan; also the Ph miracle by Dr Young explains how the body can soon be depleted of calcium. This could be Rooneyâs problem.
Arthur Brocklebank, Liverpool, England
Tom, the challenge was innocuous, and there was nosuggestion by anyone in the media, or by MU, that Reading or Duberry played with dirty tactics. MU are just finding that teams will set out to get a point against them, just as happened to Chelsea a lot last year when many matches were dull. That is the Premiership, with a few wealthy clubs and a lot of poorer ones.
The concern of most readers is about the boots as well as the number of matches top level professionals play. The international players have hardly had any rest at all this summer and injuries are inevitable.
Are rugby boots getting flimsier as well?
Pete, Aldershot, UK
This part of Rooneyâs body may be his Achilles heel. The question is whether it is the footwear, pitch or his nutrition. An acid based diet such as the fast food he likes to eat and sugar drinks can help create an unbalance in the body causing the leaching of calcium from his bones. A Gabriel Cousens MD at the www.treeoflife.nu has worked on a personal nutrition plan; also the Ph miracle by Dr Young explains how the body can soon be depleted of calcium. This could be Rooneyâs problem.
Arthur Brocklebank, Liverpool, England
The type of footwear is probably less relevant in this instance than the Reading team tactics. They went out simply to frustrate and 'out-muscle' Man Utd. Michael Duberry, no doubt chosen for his physique at least as much as for any skills, set out to stop Rooney in any way possible. And that is what he did, quite ruthlessly and with profound consequences for the player, his club and, perhaps, the national team. My respect for Reading and, particularly, Steve Coppell is greatly diminished . Hunt's childish attempt to knock the ball from van der Sar's hands, a red card for Kitson after 37 seconds - these are signs of desperation not talent and it is sad that they helped deliver a draw.
Enjoyment of watching the Premiership is sullied by negative play be it diving, looking for free kicks (Gerrard yesterday?) or the routine willingness of players such as Carvalho to stifle attacks with blatant 'professional' fouls.
Beautiful game? I think not!
Tom Read, Colchester,
It is an unwelcome start for MU,but i do believe MU's power.C.Ronald can still control the games without Roony.
On the other hand,Dong,your chance is coming.
Bai le, Shanghai, China
I'm no orthopedic expert but it's unlikely that footballers have suddenly developed weak bones in their feet (metatarsals etc..) so it must be a strong possibility that it is the footwear at fault - the 'cost' of a 6 week absence must be massive so why aren't the boot makers trying to fix this?
Jim, Hayling Island, UK
when are they going to stop wearing slippers to play football
onipee, brighton, east sussex
I question the type of footwear the modern footballer wear these days as there seem to be so many of these foot injuries...
CWW , Ipswich,
I am so sorry to hear that Rooney is injured. He is the one of the English footballers I like best even though I'm a firm supporter of Chelsea. Now I am very much worried about the team of England! Oh...
A Chinese Mother
Wu Xiaoli, Wuhan, China