Man Utd Striker Rooney Set To Miss Next 15 Games

| Monday November 1, 2010 00:00

His original comeback target was the Manchester derby against City at Eastlands a week on Wednesday, but manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he now has 'no chance' of being involved in that.

Rooney is set to miss Tuesday's [tomorrow] Champions' League match in Turkey against Bursaspor, Premier League games against Wolves, City, Aston Villa, Wigan and Blackburn, another European game in Glasgow against Rangers and England v France at Wembley next month - plus the Carling Cup tie at West Ham.

United's match at Blackpool on December 4 is his comeback target - or the Champions' League visit of Valencia three days later.

And if he fails to make either of those matches, it would then be one of the games of the season - United v Arsenal - on Monday, December 13. Fergie said of Rooney: 'The timescale for Wayne to come back, I think, is maybe five weeks, because obviously he will have to pick up his fitness again. I would think five weeks should be about right.

'I doubt the Manchester derby will come into the equation. That game is on November 10 - no chance.

'With any player who has been out a few weeks, you want them 100 per cent and not breaking down. That is what happened to Ryan Giggs - he came back and trained a full week and maybe did too much. He lasted only 25 minutes against West Brom and it was a loss, because we didn't have real cover for the wide positions.'(BBC)