Injury Setback For Rooney

Wayne Rooney will be out of action for up to four weeks after injuring his ankle in training on Friday.

The striker will miss Sunday's match against Blackburn Rovers. Fortunately the upcoming international break means he could miss as little as three further games, against Bolton, Sporting Lisbon and Fulham.

Sir Alex will be hopeful of having the 22-year-old striker ready for action for the trip to Anfield on 16 December.

A club spokesperson told ManUtd.com: "Wayne Rooney injured his right ankle in training and will be out for about four weeks."

It is even more frustrating considering Rooney's scintillating form since overcoming a fractured metatarsal sustained on the opening day of the season.

He has only just been named Barclays Player of the Month for October, having netted eight goals in his last seven games.

Sir Alex had said earlier on Friday that he wants to use Louis Saha sparingly and from the substitutes' bench, but he will now be forced to call on the Frenchman as Carlos Tevez's regular strike-partner.

Sir Alex rues 'freak accident'

Sir Alex admits losing Wayne Rooney to injury is "sickening", especially given the striker's recent form.

Rooney's scored eight times in United's last seven games but has now been ruled out for four weeks following an ankle injury sustained in training on Friday.

"It was an absolute freak accident," the Reds' boss told Manchester United Radio. "He was playing a game of head tennis and he caught his foot on the stanchion that holds up the net. It's a sickening blow but hopefully he'll be back in four weeks.

"He's been in red-hot form recently, but that's football. He'll miss our games against Blackburn and Bolton and it's obviously a big loss for England too. I think Rooney was the man who could take England to the European championships."

Rooney's injury came within hours of Sir Alex's announcement that French forward Louis Saha would be used sparingly from the bench in the coming weeks. But with the Reds' no.10 now sidelined, Saha will now be expected to step into the breach and partner Carlos Tevez up front.