England rocked by injury worries


Sunday April 30 2006



Sven-Goran Eriksson is in danger of going to the World Cup without
the player he rates as England's answer to Pele and another who he
believes is "our best goalscorer without any doubt".

England's miserable preparations for the impending finals in Germany
took another depressing turn on Saturday as new injury doubts were
cast over Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.

Rooney will be out for six weeks after breaking his foot at Stamford
Bridge.

The 20-year-old was stretchered off during Manchester United's 3-0
defeat by Chelsea, having suffered the injury in a challenge for
possession with Paulo Ferreira.

And, with England's opening World Cup game against Paraguay on June
10 exactly six weeks away, Eriksson's dilemma is now obvious.

Owen, meanwhile, made his much-anticipated return for Newcastle in
the Magpies' 0-0 draw with Birmingham but limped off at full-time
following his 28-minute substitute appearance.

It was the striker's first match since he broke his foot against
Tottenham on December 31 and his fitness will be assessed on Monday.

"My foot does not feel right," Owen told the News of the World. "I
felt something go after 10 minutes. But it's not the kind of pain I
experienced when I needed a second operation.

"I will have to go and see the surgeon. Until then I don't know how
serious it is. It doesn't feel perfect.

"Is it pain? I don't know how to explain it. There is a numbness
there.

"It wasn't a crack or the pain I felt when I first did it on New
Year's Eve. But it is obviously not ideal. As far as the World Cup is
concerned it is much too early to say."

Chelsea skipper John Terry also needed extensive treatment after
taking a kick on the shin from Rooney in the first half.

However, Blues boss Jose Mourinho said: "Rooney's tackle on John
Terry was a very nasty one but he will have 10 stitches and be ready
in one week."

There is also cause for concern about England's left-back berth with
Fulham manager Chris Coleman revealing Wayne Bridge has a hamstring
problem.

Fully fit, Bridge would be an automatic choice in Sven-Goran
Eriksson's World Cup squad and, with doubts remaining over Ashley
Cole's fitness, could yet be the Swede's first choice left-back.

However, it appears Bridge is far from being free of pain and, while
the extent of the problem is not known, it is restricting his
performances.

"Wayne has a tight hamstring," said Coleman. "It is a bit
uncomfortable for him and he is not getting into the final third as
much but he is still doing a good job for us."

Right-back Gary Neville seemed to limp off at the end of United's
defeat by Chelsea, though it is not thought to be a serious injury.