Blow for United and England as Rooney out for four weeks

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Rooney had been in breathtaking form for United, his seven goals in the last seven games netting him the Barclays Player of the Month award for October.

Injury blow: Wayne Rooney, seen here scoring against Kiev in midweek, is likely to be out for four weeks

His partnership with Carlos Tevez had helped United to 22 goals in six games, and had allowed Ferguson to treat Louis Saha with kid gloves, keeping him in a substitutes role to protect his delicate knee.

Earlier in the day Ferguson had been crowing about having his strongest squad of the season to choose from against Blackburn on Sunday.

Now he will have to have a major rethink about his striking plans for matches ahead against Blackburn in particular, and then Premier League strugglers Bolton, Fulham and Derby.

Ferguson had praised Rooney's form and expressed his belief that Saha was currently at his most effective on the bench.

He said: "Wayne had an injury to begin with and that knocked him back a bit as he missed four or five games.

"We expect players of his ability, young players like him and Ronaldo, to develop and improve themselves.

"They got 23 goals each last year and I think they are capable of getting more than that this year."

On Saha he added: "We are trying to manage the situation he finds himself in terms of his knee condition so we don't play him in every game and the dilemma is do we start him or do we bring him on.

"If you look at the composition of our side now he is different to everyone else so he makes a bigger impact as a substitute.

"At the moment my inclination is to use him as a sub and he is fine with that."

Rooney should be back for United's trip to Liverpool on December 16