The Hindu : Sport / Football : Rooney out for six weeks

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Monday, May 01, 2006

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Sport - Football

Rooney out for six weeks

LONDON: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will miss six weeks after breaking a bone in his foot in Saturday's Premier League match against Chelsea — a major blow to England's World Cup hopes.

In a short statement released on the club's website on Saturday night, United said Rooney had ``a fracture of the base of the fourth metatarsal on his right foot.''

``He will be out for six weeks,'' the statement said.

The diagnosis is bad news for England ahead of the World Cup, which starts on June 9.

The 20-year-old Rooney grimaced in pain and lay clutching his right foot after a challenge by defender Paulo Ferreira 10 minutes from the end of United's 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

``He's got a heavy knock,'' United manager Alex Ferguson said after the game.

Rooney travelled back to Manchester with his teammates before heading straight to a private hospital, where the extent of his injury was revealed.

Serious problem

With England's opening World Cup game against Paraguay on June 10 exactly six weeks away, coach Sven-Goran Eriksson faces a serious problem.

Rooney was expected to be England's strongest player at the World Cup in Germany and his absence could derail the team's chances of winning the title for the first time in 40 years.

Rooney fractured a metatarsal in the 2004 European Championship quarterfinal against Portugal. He left the field and was out of action for three months.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, whose team retained the Premier League title by beating second-place United, said he felt ``scared'' for Rooney, whose earlier challenge on John Terry had left the England defender hobbling with a gashed leg.

``I think England need the boy, the World Cup needs the boy,'' Mourinho said. ``I know Paulo didn't touch him and the worst injuries are the ones without contact. The Rooney tackle on JT (Terry) was a nasty one but, 10 stitches, and he will be ready again.''

Another scare

Michael Owen, another key for England, played the last 30 minutes of Newcastle's 0-0 draw with Birmingham City.

He was limping near the end. It was his first game since breaking his right foot on New Year's eve.

``Michael Owen went to see the specialist where he had an X-ray and various tests...The news was positive and there is no damage,'' his club Newcastle said. — AP

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