Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney will miss the Champions League match away to Valencia on Wednesday because of an ankle injury, the English Premier League club said on Monday.
“United will travel to Valencia on Tuesday morning without striker Wayne Rooney,” said a statement on United’s official website.
Rooney suffered the injury during the 2-2 Premier League draw at Bolton on Sunday and was substituted in the 61st minute at the Reebok Stadium.
While the injury is not thought to be serious, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told manutd.com on Monday that the 24-year-old England forward would not be fit enough to face Valencia, top of La Liga, on Wednesday.
Rooney has been in an unwanted spotlight following newspaper allegations of an extra-marital affair with a prostitute and suggestions the off-field controversy is affecting his form on the pitch.
Former England striker and manager Kevin Keegan insisted Rooney could not complain about press intrusion after selling his wedding photographs to a celebrity magazine.
Liverpool great Keegan, now a television pundit with ESPN, said: “You can’t have all the contracts and sell your wedding to magazines and then suddenly say ‘That’s the tap I want to turn on, but I want to turn the other one off’.”
Keegan added: “I know from when I played that, if you are advertising boots and all these things, you have to make appearances.
“But one thing I would say is keep your home and family out of it.
“His (Rooney’s goalless) performance at Bolton tells me his confidence is shot.”
United will be without veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs as well after the Welshman was also injured against Bolton, limping off with a hamstring problem.
Rooney and Giggs join Antonio Valencia (ankle), Michael Carrick (Achilles) and Owen Hargreaves (knee) on a lengthening United injury list.
United, three-time European champions, were held to a goalless draw by Scottish giants Rangers in their opening Champions League match this season at Old Trafford on September 14.
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