Share

Rooney out for rest of season

Manchester - Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is set to miss the rest of the Premier League season because of a groin injury but should be fit to play for England at the World Cup.

Rooney, who has scored 34 goals for Man United this season, had only just recovered from an ankle injury when he hurt his groin in training on Thursday.

United beat Tottenham 3-1 without Rooney on Saturday, but the team will have to cope for two more matches without him in its attempt to fight off Chelsea's challenge and win an unprecedented fourth straight league title.

"I think he'll probably take two to three weeks to recover," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "We'll try to get him back. He'll obviously be desperate to get back himself. We'll just have to wait and see."

It is the latest setback for England's most influential player, who missed the two league matches before last week's victory at Manchester City becaue of ankle problems.

The 24-year-old Rooney should be fit a month before England's World Cup opener against United States on June 12.

Another concern for England was the absence of captain Rio Ferdinand on Saturday. The United center back missed a second straight match because of a groin injury after a season plagued by back problems.

England teammate Aaron Lennon returned to action for Tottenham at Old Trafford after four months out due to a groin injury, playing 25 minutes and looking sharp despite the long layoff.

However, the right winger could struggle to prove his fitness to England coach Fabio Capello before the final squad is announced on June 1. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said Lennon is in doubt for next Saturday's match against Bolton.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
64% - 477 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
36% - 263 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE