Man Utd injury news: Ibrahimovic flies to US for surgery

Man Utd injury news: Rooney returns, but will Rashford make way?

15 April

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal faces a selection dilemma ahead of Manchester United's game against doomed Aston Villa on Saturday, as Wayne Rooney returns to fitness after a knee injury that sidelined him for two months.

The striker came on as a late substitute against West Ham in the FA Cup on Wednesday and Van Gaal appeared to suggest he would be on the bench once again at Old Trafford.

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"Yes, I think he shall receive more minutes, but it's always dependent on the game," he said. "You cannot say in advance that I give you 20 minutes or something like that. When it's possible, I shall do that because we need Wayne in the team."

In Rooney's absence, United have uncovered a rough diamond in the form of Marcus Rashford, while Anthony Martial has also played well. With both strikers in form, the skipper will have to work hard to regain his place.

"It will be interesting to see how Rashford is used over the remaining games of the season after scoring six goals in his first 11 appearances," says the Daily Mail.

However, the International Business Times expects Rooney to return to the starting line-up, with Rashford "likely to make way for the England international".

United will definitely be without German World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has endured a mixed first season at Old Trafford and is unlikely to play again this season. The 31-year-old midfielder damaged knee ligaments while on international duty and is in a race to be fit for Euro 2016.

"Schweinsteiger has been plagued by injury this season and had only recently made his return from two months out with a separate knee problem last month," notes the Daily Express.

Meanwhile, defender Luke Shaw could yet make a comeback before the end of the season after he returned to training this week, seven months after breaking his leg in the Champions League.

Van Gaal is "delighted" at his progress, reports the Manchester Evening News, although the manager has remained cautious on his prospects of a return, warning it would be "very difficult" for him to be fit before the FA Cup final.

Another defender, Phil Jones, could be in contention this weekend, however, after he proved his fitness with two outings for the under-21s. "The former Blackburn Rovers defender is unlikely to break into the starting XI anytime soon owing to the brilliant partnership forged by Daley Blind and Chris Smalling at centre-back, but could provide backup in a multitude of positions in case of an injury," says International Business Times.

Man Utd injury news: Rooney returns to relieve Rashford

05 April

Manchester United could welcome back a host of first team stars for Sunday's clash with Tottenham Hotspur, including England skipper Wayne Rooney, who will undergo scans on his knee this week to see if he will be available.

Rooney has not played since mid-February and while he has resumed training, he did not turn out for United's under-21 side against Chelsea on Monday, unlike Ashley Young, Phil Jones and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, who are also on the comeback trail.

Manager Louis van Gaal has suggested he would like to put the captain through his paces before integrating him back into the first team, but "has not yet given up hope of the player making a surprise comeback at White Hart Lane", says the Daily Telegraph.

"Rooney is unlikely to take any chances with his fitness but his recovery from knee ligament damage is progressing better than expected after an earlier setback and he is due to undergo further medical assessment in the next few days," adds the paper.

Another factor in Rooney's favour could be fears over youngster Marcus Rashford, who is in danger of burnout, according to former United keeper Peter Schmeichel.

"The England Under-20 international made his ninth successive start in the win over Everton but looked notably leg-weary during the 1-0 win at Old Trafford," adds the International Business Times.

As for the trio of players who did return to action on Monday, Young and Borthwick-Jackson look set for recalls after performing well, but centre-back Jones "had a night to forget", says the Manchester Evening News. He played alongside teenager RoShaun Williams and looked like the junior partner for much of the match.

"With Williams and Axel Tuanzebe showing promise, Daley Blind establishing himself at centre half and United likely to sign a centre-back in the summer, Jones' United career could be in jeopardy," says the paper.

Man Utd injury news: Two back for Everton but no Rooney

1 April

Manchester United will welcome back two first team stars for the game against Everton this weekend, but captain Wayne Rooney will not be fit enough to face his former club.

Midfielders Ashley Young and Ander Herrera are both back in contention after overcoming hamstring problems and the pair are expected to feature on Saturday, reports the Daily Star.

The two players resumed full training this week and could return to the first team, says the paper. Young has been out since January and Herrera has been out since the FA Cup clash with West Ham three weeks ago.

Hopes that Rooney would be ready to return after the international break were overly optimistic, but his recovery from a knee injury is progressing well. He is "expected to return to full training next week", says the Manchester Evening News. The striker could be back in action within two weeks, claims the Daily Star.

The Manchester Evening News notes that competition for places up front will be fierce at the end of the season as Will Keane is also on the comeback trail after groin surgery.

Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have been Van Gaal's forwards in recent weeks, but the return of Rooney and Keane will put pressure on the pair.

Meanwhile Luke Shaw, who suffered a double leg break earlier in the season, is expected to start training again next week. "The 20-year-old travelled to Dubai during the international fortnight and could take a significant step in his recovery from the injury trauma at United's Carrington training base next month," reports the Daily Mirror.

Man Utd injury news: Schweinsteiger out and Rooney steps up recovery

24 March

Manchester United are likely to be without World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger for the rest of the season after he suffered another knee injury while on international duty.

The 31-year-old German had only just returned to action after two months out with a similar injury.

Confirming the news, which also casts doubts on the player's fitness for Euro 2016, Germany coach Joachim Low said: "Schweinsteiger has injured his medial collateral ligament and is unavailable for both England and Italy. It is the same injury that he suffered in England. It does not look very positive."

However, Low later added that he had "not written him off", while the midfielder said he would "accept the situation like it is".

Schweinsteiger picked up the injury in a challenge at the end of a training session ahead of Germany's clash with England on Saturday.

And despite the positive noises from the Germany camp, he is now a "major doubt for both Manchester United's season run-in and Euro 2016", reports Sky Sports.

But for every blow there is a boost - and The Sun claims there is good news for United, with captain Wayne Rooney expected to emerge from the gym and venture out onto the training ground this weekend for the first time since his knee injury.

Whether or not he is fit enough to return for United's clash with Everton, as had been predicted in some quarters, remains to be seen. Website Squawka believes a return in the FA Cup clash against West Ham, ten days later, is a more realistic target.

Man Utd team news: Rooney and Rashford to form new strike partnership

22 March

Jesse Lingard appears to have confirmed that Wayne Rooney will return for Manchester United after the international break - but it could be Lingard who suffers as a result.

United skipper Rooney has been out with a knee problem for five weeks and appears to be on course for a return early next month.

"He should be back after the international break. We have a lot of players coming back. That's a massive boost for the squad," Lingard told reporters.

If Rooney is drafted back into the first team for the game against his former club, Everton, on 3 April, the Manchester Evening News believes it is Lingard who will be dropped, rather than teenage sensation Marcus Rashford.

Manager Louis van Gaal has been cautious with other players as they return from injury, but the paper's Stuart Mathieson says Rooney has "special privileges", which means he has a "guaranteed place in United's starting XI when fit" and will not have to turn out for the Under-21s to prove himself.

Conventional wisdom would see 18-year-old Rashford relegated to the bench, but Van Gaal, with his job on the line, may want to appease the fans.

"Van Gaal's popularity is still flimsy and a rest for Rashford after his derby winner would not go down well," says Mathieson. "But a Rooney-Rashford-Anthony Martial strike force is feasible with the Frenchman occupying the wide left role and Rooney playing in the number ten role."

Whether Rooney does walk straight back into the side at Lingard's expense remains to be seen. The Guardian goes no further than to say the player "is expected to resume training with Manchester United after the international break".

Meanwhile, England boss Roy Hodgson has admitted that Luke Shaw's hopes of playing in Euro 2016 rest on Man United's attitude. The defender is close to a comeback after a double leg fracture but if the club choose to hold him back to ensure he is fit for next season, then an England call is out of the question.

Man Utd team news: Schweinsteiger on bench but Varela fit

16 March

Manchester United's injury crisis appears to be easing, but not in time for this week's crucial Europa League tie with Liverpool.

Several key players are close to returning from injury lay-offs, but manager Louis van Gaal has said Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson will not feature at Old Trafford, while World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger is still not fit to play 90 minutes and will have to come off the bench.

The Manchester manager said that although the quartet were all back in training, they were not yet match fit. "I have to cope with the fact when they're injured, they're not back at the moment they train one training session with you," he told MUTV.

Schweinsteiger's gradual reintroduction to the team could mean another start for the unpopular Marouane Fellaini, warns the Manchester Evening News.

Young defender Guillermo Varela, who came off during the FA Cup tie against West Ham, is also fit and could be in line for another start despite the presence of Matteo Darmian in the squad, says the MEN.

Long term absentees Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones and Luke Shaw have not yet returned to training, it adds.

Man Utd injury news: 'cautious' Rooney eyes Everton return

14 March

There are conflicting reports of Wayne Rooney's recovery from a knee injury, although the Manchester United striker insists that he will be fit to represent England at Euro 2016.

The striker has not played since the middle of February and, although he was bullish about his international chances, United fans may be more concerned about his prospects of a speedy return to club action as United struggle in the Premier League.

However, it seems reports that Rooney had suffered a serious setback in his recovery and could miss the rest of the season were wide of the mark. There was gloom at the weekend after manager Louis van Gal said he was "not close" to a comeback. But now it appears that the Dutch manager meant that he was weeks rather than months away from fitness.

"No comeback date has yet been set for the United and England captain," reports the Daily Telegraph, although the paper adds: "Rooney expects to be playing again shortly after the up-coming international break and is confident he will get enough game-time to be fully tuned up for England's challenge in the finals in France."

The forward told the paper that while he was in no danger of missing the international summer tournament he was being "cautious" over his return for United.

Asked when he would return to action he said: "If I try and push and be involved now it could cause more damage. So we are being cautious. After the international break is a more realistic target."

That means he will definitely be absent for the must-win Europa League clash with Liverpool and the Manchester derby three days later. But it appears he is targeting United's first game after the break, against his former club Everton on 3 April.

Man Utd injury news: Rooney and Fellaini out for weeks

18 February

Manchester United's hopes of a top four finish or winning the Europa League have been dented after Wayne Rooney was ruled out of action for up to two months with a knee problem.

The England striker (pictured above) suffered ligament damage during United's defeat by Sunderland last weekend and will miss at least six weeks.

The news is a "hammer blow to United" says the Daily Mail, which notes that Rooney will miss both legs of the Europa League tie with Midyjtlland, next week's FA Cup trip to Shrewsbury and up to nine Premier League games as Louis van Gaal's side "struggle to finish in the top-six".

Van Gaal said Rooney had played on in pain after sustaining the injury as he did not realise it was serious.

The striker had "a fantastic attitude but sometimes, it's also bad for his body," he added.

Rooney is not the only United casualty - Marouane Fellaini is also sidelined with what is feared to be a hamstring tear.

Although he is unpopular with many supporters, the Belgian midfielder is a key man for Van Gaal and could help plug the gap left by Rooney.

"United and Belgium are keen to get to the root of the injury, with the 28-year-old travelling to his homeland on Wednesday for check-ups with physio Lieven Maesschalck on a suspected tear," says the Manchester Evening News.

Fellaini is the 11th name on the United injury list and is also likely to be out for several weeks, says The Guardian.

Man Utd injury news: Rooney and Martial to miss Watford

20 November 2015

Manchester United face a striker shortage for their trip to Watford on Friday, with both Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial likely to be missing from the squad, and possible replacement James Wilson not fit enough to play 90 minutes.

Martial left Wembley on crutches after suffering a foot injury in the friendly between France and England on Tuesday. The injury turned out not to be serious, but it has ruled him out of the weekend fixture. He is likely to be fit for Wednesday's Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven.

More of a surprise is the absence of Rooney, who is struggling to overcome a virus. Louis van Gaal confirmed that the England skipper was sick when he returned from international duty. "Rooney is ill, so we have a big problem, I think," he told reporters.

Youngster James Wilson is one possible alternative, but he has also been out injured. And Van Gaal explained that he "cannot play a whole match because he doesn't have the rhythm of the game".

That could force the manager to give the underachieving Memphis Depay, who has not appeared in the Premier League since the defeat to Arsenal in October, another chance in the first team by playing him as a makeshift striker.

There are also midfield concerns, with Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini both out injured. And the Daily Telegraph reports that Van Gaal will "assess the mental state of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin before selecting his team with both players shaken by their involvement in the France-Germany game affected by the Paris terrorist attacks a week ago".

Man Utd injury news: Martial and Carrick doubts for Watford

18 November

Wayne Rooney may have found the net at Wembley on Tuesday night, but his Man United strike partner Anthony Martial did not have quite such an enjoyable evening as France lost 2-0 to England.

The £36m teenager left Wembley on crutches after the emotional friendly played in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

He limped away "with his left foot bandaged after being injured in a tackle by Tottenham's Dele Alli and France coach Didier Deschamps admitted he was in pain", reports the Daily Mirror. Although the French coach tried to "allay United's fears" by insisting it was just "a knock" to the top of his foot.

The paper raises the possibility it may be a broken bone, which could sideline him for several weeks while United contend with a "hectic" run of fixtures between now and the end of the year. It begins with a trip to Watford on Saturday lunchtime and a Champions League clash at home to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.

If they are without Martial, United will hope that Rooney has rediscovered his goalscoring touch, as the England man has been in dire form in front of goal for his club this season, while Martial has netted five times this term.

Martial could just be the tip of the iceberg, notes ESPN, which says United could be missing eight players this weekend. Michael Carrick limped off during England's game against Spain, and may have suffered ankle ligament damage, and Chris Smalling missed the France game with what ESPN calls a "minor knock".

Also on the injury list are Marouane Fellaini, Paddy McNair, James Wilson and long-term absentees Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw.