Rooney doubt for start of season
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Manchester United's Wayne Rooney is unlikely to be fit for the start of the season after contracting a virus on the pre-season trip to Nigeria.
United played four friendlies, including one against Community Shield opponents Portsmouth, on the tour but it now looks to have cost them the services of their leading striker.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports News: "I doubt we'll get Rooney fit for the start of the season with the virus he's had.
"It's a virus he picked up in Nigeria and it's not a nice one, but quite a few have had it.
"It's such a bad virus and he's got to be training to be fit."
Ferguson confirmed that Rooney was not suffering from malaria, against which the entire squad had been treated before the trip.
The news could bring a renewed move for Tottenham forward Dimitar Berbatov as Ferguson has only Carlos Tevez, untested youngster Fraizer Campbell and Louis Saha to choose from up front.
In addition to the seasonal curtain-raiser against Pompey on August 10, the 22-year-old England international is also likely to miss United's Premier League opener against Newcastle the following week.
It is deeply frustrating for Rooney, who also saw the start to last season disrupted by injury when he suffered a broken metatarsal against Reading on the opening day of the 2007/08 campaign.
The news will come as a major blow to United, who will also begin the defence of their title without injured winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo underwent ankle surgery earlier this summer and is not expected to return to action until October.
Ferguson continued: "I don't know whether we will have a team ready. Nani is suspended, Anderson is in the Olympic Games.
"(Michael) Carrick's come in this morning and he may play a part of the game on Sunday.
"They've said it's a bad virus and Wayne's not back in yet, he's not been training. It's been a long time."
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time for the kiddos to step up.. campbell, gibson, lee, de brazil bros.. and especially kaNANI..
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saha is injured again...
sigh..
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sian la
rooney ish my fave player sia
i love to see him play 1
:(
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if the virus doesn't go away, MU going to regret going to africa.
hopefully this is an one-off, if not how to host WC?
all come back sick.. :P