ROONEY OUT FOR A MONTH

Manchester United and England have been dealt a huge blow with the news that Wayne Rooney has been ruled out for four weeks with an ankle injury.

Rooney was expected to start United's Premier League clash with Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The in-form 22-year-old was also named in Steve McClaren's England squad for next week's friendly with Austria and the potentially decisive Euro 2008 qualifier with Croatia at Wembley five days later.

But following a training ground incident on Friday, Rooney will now miss at least three league games for United - against Blackburn this weekend, Bolton Wanderers on November 24 and Fulham on December 3.

The recently-named Barclays Premier League player of the month for October will also miss both legs of England's double-header.

"Wayne Rooney picked up an ankle injury in training and will be out for about four weeks," confirmed a club spokesperson.

Rooney had scored nine goals in his last nine games for club and country.

He had also formed a lethal partnership with Carlos Tevez, who had scored three times in his last three games for the Red Devils.

Louis Saha looks set to step up from the substitute's bench for the visit of Blackburn on Sunday.