Brown Faces Six-week Lay-off

Manchester United and England defender Wes Brown faces a lay-off of four to six weeks with a broken bone in his foot suffered at Wolves on Saturday.

The 30-year-old was hurt after a challenge with Matt Jarvis and left Molineux with his foot in a protective boot before having a scan on Sunday.

"It's just unfortunate," United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said. "He has had a career blighted by injury."

There had been fears the injury would rule him out of the summer's World Cup.

England's campaign in South Africa kicks off on 12 June against the United States.

Brown will miss Wednesday's Champions League last-16 return leg against AC Milan and a majority of United's end-of-season fixture programme.

However, with nine games remaining in the Premier League, as well as the ongoing Champions League campaign, Ferguson added: "We hope to get him back for some of the season."

It is another bad injury for the right-back, who has also slotted in at centre-back, and comes just over a year after breaking a metatarsal.

Brown won his 23rd cap for England against Egypt last Wednesday and is expected to be in Capello's squad for the World Cup.