Young sidelined as Rooney nears return

Ashley Young is facing up to three weeks on the sidelines
21 September 2012

Ashley Young is set to be unavailable for Manchester United and England until mid-October with a knee injury, but there is better news for club and country on Wayne Rooney.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed on Friday that Young was suffering from bruised cartilage and will be out for two to three weeks, but said Rooney was in line to return from a gashed thigh at some stage next week.

On Young, Ferguson said: "Ashley Young has a bruised cartilage that is going to take two or three weeks more. We're taking our time with that one. You can easily play and train with it but we are not going down that road. We have a lot of experience of these injuries recurring when they come back too quickly."

Young suffered the injury against Fulham last month, and Ferguson's prognosis would keep the United man out until after the next international break, meaning he will miss England's World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland.

It was suggested earlier this week that Rooney was set to make a rapid return, either in Wednesday's Champions League tie with Galatasaray or this weekend's encounter with Liverpool at Anfield.

Rooney was not involved in midweek and Ferguson has confirmed Sunday is not a possibility either.

However, with a Capital One Cup tie against Newcastle looming on Wednesday, followed by an eye-catching Old Trafford meeting with Tottenham next Saturday, Rooney's absence will not continue for too much longer.

"I know there were reports about Rooney being a possible, but that is not the case," said Ferguson.

"He is not far away. He's doing a lot of great training and has been working hard.

"It's just a matter of getting him into the full football training side of things which he has done part of. I think he may be fine for next week."

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