Rooney injury could work in our favour: Ferguson
Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney’s thigh injury could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Rooney has been ruled out for four weeks after suffering a nasty gash when Fulham’s Hugo Rodallega landed on the Manchester United man at Old Trafford last Saturday.
The injury overshadowed the fact Rooney had been left out of Ferguson’s starting line-up.
But amid reports Ferguson was not happy with the condition Rooney was in when he returned for pre-season training, the United boss feels an enforced break might be just what last season’s top scorer needs.
“It may be a blessing,” Ferguson said. “He can concentrate on his fitness in the gym now in particular because he’s a bit behind other players.”
Rooney has confirmed there is no rift between him and Ferguson, leaving him free to get on with the business of getting fit.
And, despite the severity of the striker’s injury, the United boss insists the four-week timescale he outlined on Saturday has not changed.
“He was in yesterday,” he said. “It’s nothing serious on the actual gash; it’s a bad one but it was treated carefully and very quickly and we don’t expect any complications.
“The fact it’s a gash and not a ligament, muscle or joint injury means he can do a lot of work in the gym so he should be back in four weeks.”
Ferguson is less content at news of the knee injury that will keep Ashley Young out of tomorrow’s trip to Southampton leaking out.
Young was the notable absentee when Roy Hodgson announced his squad on Thursday for the World Cup qualifiers with Moldova and Ukraine.
Although the FA did not explain Young’s absence, Ferguson believes they were to blame for the winger’s injury becoming public.
And, feeling tomorrow’s opponents Southampton have been given an advantage by discovering Young will not play, Ferguson aims to prevent any chance of a repeat.
“It was nice of the FA to let everyone know Ashley Young is injured,” Ferguson said. “We have a game on Sunday. Why should we let our opponents know who’s fit and who isn’t? It won’t happen again.”
Jonny Evans is set to return at St Mary’s Stadium after a summer ankle operation, meaning Ferguson has a second orthodox central defender to partner skipper Nemanja Vidic for the first time this season.
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