Man Utd: Rooney ruled out for a month
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will be sidelined for at least four weeks after suffering an ankle injury in training on Friday.
Rooney left United's training ground on crutches and the injury means he will miss England's final Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia on November 21 and the friendly in Austria six days previously.
He is likely to miss four Premier League matches, starting with Saturday's clash against Blackburn, as well as United's last two Champions League ties.
"Wayne Rooney picked up an ankle injury in training and will be out for about four weeks," a United spokesperson confirmed.
The 22-year-old had been in superb form in the last two months, scoring nine goals in his last 10 games for club and country, and had struck up a lethal partnership with Carlos Tevez.
England coach Steve McClaren admitted Rooney's absence was a major setback.
"It is hugely disappointing for us and him," he said. "Given the form he has been in and the contribution he has made to England over the last two games means it is a blow.
"But we have to deal with it, like we have dealt with situations like these before. It is an opportunity for someone else to come and do a job."
It is the latest fitness blow for Rooney, who missed the first month of the season with a broken foot.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson may now have to bring fit-again France striker Louis Saha back into the team sooner than he would have liked.
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