Last Trip to Scotland

The main story today, and every paper speculates the same, is that Rooney faces 2 months, or 14 games out.  From The Sun:

Shocked medics said the horrific gash on Rooney’s right leg was among the worst of that type.

The cut went through to the bone injuring the muscle in his thigh.

Boss Alex Ferguson had thought it would only sideline Rooney, 26, for a month.

Now he could miss England’s World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine, United’s first three Champions League matches and crunch league games against Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea.

Rooney needed 10 stitches to pull his skin together.

Another long weaving stitch will have been inserted inside his leg the length of the cut to repair the damage caused when Fulham striker Hugo Rodellega inadvertently stood on him.

The Mail up the ante, saying that it needed "dozens of stitches", and the surgeons were "astounded." 

The important words are in the Telegraph:

it is understood to be too early at this stage to assess the full scale of the injury.

That's my emphasis by the way, the papers are too busy emphasising the worse case scenario. And The Telegraph article goes on at length on the Rooney-had-his-time-at-Man-United tip, finishing with:

He either grits his teeth, gets himself fit and embraces the challenge or risks becoming the latest United icon to join the ranks of Van Nistelrooy, Beckham and Roy Keane by stretching Ferguson’s patience too far.

How many times have we/will wee read such things.

At least Alan Shearer leaps into the defence of Rooney in The Sun today, but it's so typically Shearer dull that I couldn't stay awake to the end of it, God knows what it says.

Elsewhere it's Kagawa getting the plaudits.  From The Guardian:

Shinji Kagawa has shone as the fantasy footballer missing from Sir Alex Ferguson's attack. While Robin van Persie is the calmer, svelte Wayne Rooney, potentially a 30-plus a season goal machine, Kagawa is the firefly playmaker who flits between midfield and the forward line creating havoc and scoring, as he did impressively in this nervy 3-2 win for United.

The prospect of Rooney's absence for four weeks due to the nasty cut on his thigh from Hugo Rodallega's boot – the striker spent Saturday night in hospital receiving treatment before being released home – will be felt less because of Kagawa: as Van Persie made his full United debut, Rooney was the fall guy, dropped so that the Japanese could continue the impressive work he began at Everton last Monday.

And has quotes from Cleverley praising Kagawa (and they have a little dig at Anderson on the side):

Cleverley, who sat alongside a lumbering Anderson in United's 4-2-3-1, said of Kagawa: "I love playing with him – one and two touch, high-energy football. We're on the same wavelength." The Englishman views Kagawa as United's missing component. "Definitely. He's brilliant," the 23-year-old said. "He has settled in really well. He links defence with attack. He gets on the half-turn and creates chances. I can't speak highly enough of him."

While The Telegraph, as well as Kagawa, praise the Anderson/Cleverley midfield combo:

With Tom Cleverley and Anderson starting in central midfield, United scored 18 goals in their first four fixtures of last season and although they can be a little loose in terms of positioning at times, it is a partnership that oozes attacking potential.

Rafael also provides an exciting outlet from right-back but it is the possibilities provided by Shinji Kagawa and Robin van Persie further forward that will give United optimism that they will not have to see the Premier League crown absent from Old Trafford for a third year in four.

The Mail present some quotes from Kagawa as a question and answer thing, for no apparent reason:

What differences have you noticed between here and the Bundesliga?

The physical side of it is the first thing. I need to adapt to that. The other thing is the quality through the division. In Germany, the top few teams were so much better than the rest, but, here, every opponent is difficult.

Do you feel you could influence games even more?

Yes. We seem to pass the ball sideways a lot, but I want team-mates to start giving me the ball from all areas and angles. I need to speak to them about this, because I want them to have the trust in me to play the ball forward.

Language is a problem, isn't it? How are you coping with Sir Alex Ferguson's team talks?

I can't tell a word he says! I am trying to learn English, but understanding the manager might take a little longer . . .

Ah yes, comedy "can't understand the Scottish man," can't beat it...