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Wayne Rooney will be out of action for up to three weeks, according to Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Rooney was left behind when the Red Devils flew out to Spain for Wednesday's Champions League encounter with Valencia.

The striker had struggled to shake off an ankle injury which led to his substitution in the second half of Sunday's Premier League draw with Bolton Wanderers.

Rooney's injury was not thought to be too serious, but Ferguson revealed at his pre-match press conference that the England striker is likely to be sidelined until mid-October.

He will now miss Saturday's league trip to Sunderland and also England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro on October 12.

"It will be two to three weeks," said Ferguson. "But it depends because Wayne has done quite well with his recovery from injury in the past."

Rooney has scored just one goal in five appearances for the Red Devils this season and Ferguson suggested last weekend that he was struggling to cope with the pressure that recent revelations about his private life had brought.

Meanwhile, Ferguson also confirmed that veteran midfielder Paul Scholes will be sidelined for around ten days with a calf problem.

However, Rio Ferdinand looks set to return from his knee ligament injury against Valencia as Ferguson looks to strengthen a defence which has leaked ten goals in seven games during his absence.

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"It's a decision I'll take tomorrow," he said"He's had plenty of training and a couple of reserves games. He also played against Rangers and Scunthorpe but he's been out for five months.

"That's why I didn't risk him on Sunday against Bolton. I felt that would be a physical challenge so we decided to stick with Nemanja Vidic and Jonny Evans, who have done very well for us.

"I have no complaints about their performance levels."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Leeds have confirmed that they have sacked manager Simon Grayson, with the last straw being the side’s 4-1 home defeat to Birmingham on Tuesday night.

The Elland Road outfit are currently in 10th place in The Championship, but are only three points adrift of the playoff berths.

The news was released on the club’s official website, with chief executive Shaun Harvey keen to enforce a change in manager.

“We have 18 games to go this season and are still within touching distance of the Play-Offs, but felt with the transfer window now closed we needed to make the change at this time in the belief that a new managerial team will be able to get more out of the existing squad of players and make the difference.

“Simon and his staff have given the club over three good years service and we would like to place on record our thanks and wish them all the best for the future.

“Current youth team manager Neil Redfearn has been asked to take temporary charge of the first team until a new manager is available,” the statement concluded.

Grayson had taken over at Leeds back in December 2008, and despite leading the side back to The Championship, fell short of making it back to the top flight.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Blackburn Rovers captain Chris Samba is looking for goals – and lots of them.Samba believes scoring goals at Ewood Park against Bolton on Saturday is vital if they are to avoid relegation.

Samba was frustrated as Rovers failed to turn an improved performance into goals in Monday’s 1-0 home loss to Manchester City, leaving them just one point outside the relegation zone with four games to play.

Steve Kean’s side have now scored only once in their last four fixtures and host Bolton this weekend needing a result to boost their survival chances ahead of tricky trips to relegation rivals West Ham and Wolves, either side of a home game against champions-elect Manchester United.

And Samba knows that performances matter little now, just as long as they can score the goals they need to pick up the all-important points.

“We have things in our own hands and we need to prepare this week to be very, very hard on Bolton, to put them under pressure and that is what we are going to do,” Samba told the Lancashire Evening News.

“We are going to be focused, we will work very hard on the pressing and we can make sure we get those three points. There is no alternative now.”

“We played well against Manchester City but we were beaten. We had a few chances compared to their one chance that wasn’t really a chance.”

“When you lose after a performance at Everton you can be very down but we have to be positive. I don’t like using this word because at the end of the day we would prefer to play bad and win.

“But the reality is we played good again and lost. So we need to learn how to put the ball into the back of the net.”

“We won’t win games if we don’t score goals.”

Bolton will be looking to improve on their dismal record away from home when they tackle Rovers.

Wanderers have taken just one point from a possible 30 on their travels, including the 3-0 loss at Fulham on Wednesday.

Two goals from Clint Dempsey and a third from Brede Hangeland midway through the second half virtually killed off any remote hopes Bolton may have had of qualifying for Europe.

Ricardo Gardner came off the bench to make his 400th appearance for Bolton at Craven Cottage, but failed to make an impression.

Manager Owen Coyle still believes Bolton can finish the season strongly despite the midweek setback at Fulham.

Full-back Gretar Steinsson injured his knee again against Fulham and is in doubt for Saturday’s clash.
“We currently sit in eighth in the Barclays Premier League and we now face a tough Lancashire derby, so we have to rest up and make sure we are at our best on Saturday,” Coyle said.

“We’ve still got four matches to play and we want to get as many wins and as many points as we possibly can to finish what has, undoubtedly, been a good season for us.”

James Milner is hoping Wayne Rooney remains with the England squad ahead of their Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland.

Two Sunday newspapers made a series of allegations concerning the private life of the Manchester United striker and reports claim he could pull out of the squad for Tuesday's encounter in Basel.

The Football Association claim the entire squad will travel to Switzerland on Monday for their second Group G game.

Rooney was one of the key players during Friday's 4-0 opening victory over Bulgaria after setting up all three of Jermain Defoe's goals.

Milner was speaking at a press conference ahead of the trip to Switzerland at which he revealed just how important Rooney is to the England side.

When asked how the United striker had trained since the newspaper allegations broke, he replied:"He did the full session. We had our full training session and back to football is what we're here to do.

"I think you want the best players out on the field and he's obviously one of them. He showed that the other night.

"He's a top, top player and we want to put out the strongest team possible."

Meanwhile, Milner has backed Rooney to cope with the pressure he now finds himself under.

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The Manchester City midfielder added:"Things are always said in the paper, good things, bad things, about the England team when results are going well and when they're not going well.

"You have highs, you have lows, and it's down to us to make sure only thing that matters is on the field, come together and make sure we get the result.

"Winning football matches is the only thing that matters."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has been awarded the 2011 African Player of the Year award, after impressive performances for club and country.

Toure has become an important player for Roberto Mancini’s men since signing from European champions Barcelona in 2010, and scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final last season to end City’s 35 year trophy-less spell.

The news was released by the Confederation of African Football’s official website, who revealed that it was a close race for top spot.

“The 28-year old pipped Ghanaian midfielder Andre Ayew and Malian Seydou Keita to scoop the top-most honour at the Awards Gala on Thursday at the Banquet Hall, State House in Accra,” it stated.

Toure is only the second player from the Ivory Coast to win the award, following on from Didier Drogba’s success, and it is the highest personal honour an African player can receive given that it is selected by coaches in the region.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Sir Alex Ferguson has scoffed at Chelsea’s claims for a late penalty in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.United defender Patrice Evra appeared to drag Ramires to the turf inside the box in second-half injury time, but referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco waved away the Chelsea’s penalty pleas in front of their home fans at Stamford Bridge.

Ferguson’s men held on for a 1-0 lead, with Wayne Rooney’s 24th-minute strike all that separated the two sides at the final whistle on Wednesday.

Ferguson said he believed Brazil midfielder Ramires, who arrived from Benfica last August, was guilty of an opportunistic tumble.

“It looked as if the boy made the most it,” Ferguson said. “I haven’t seen the replay yet but it’s a break, the first we have had here for seven years.”

The Scot emphasised the importance of the result, which sees the Red Devils head into the return leg at Old Trafford next Tuesday with a handy away-goal advantage.

“I thought our players were great. Keeping a clean sheet was important.”

“Wayne Rooney was in tremendous form and has given us a really great opportunity to get to the semi-final. He was excellent. He got a lot of abuse tonight, late tackles, but got up and played.”

“We have got an advantage but the biggest advantage we have got is Old Trafford. I am banking on that.”

One of the most pleasing aspects behind England’s recent back to back wins against Bulgaria and Switzerland were the performances of Phil Jagielka. The Everton centre half looked at ease throughout at the heart of defence, and while he may just be considered a stop gap until the likes of Ferdinand and Terry return, his displays show there is a little more strength in depth than previously anticipated.

Jagielka’s international career looked all but over after he suffered a cruciate ligament injury in 2009 just before Everton’s FA Cup final appearance. Jagielka had a great campaign in 2008/9, but to most, it looked like it was nothing more than good form as opposed to continued excellence. This injury looked to have not only ruled him out of the FA Cup final, but of Fabio Capello’s future plans.

A year is an extremely long time in football, but Jagielka has been fortunate that many of his rivals for a starting spot in the England side have fallen by the wayside either through injury, lack of form, or in Joleon Lescott’s case at least, ill-advised moves.

Against Bulgaria, Jagielka looked far more at ease with the occasion and the opposition than the nervy Michael Dawson and against Switzerland he marshalled the backline to decent effect. Dawson undoubtedly had a good back end to last season which resulted in him being called up to the World Cup squad in injured captain Rio Ferdinand’s stead, a deserved call up certainly, but so far this season the Spurs centre half has been poor to say the least.

Jagielka, in contrast, towards the end of last season upon his return was patchy, and although that is to be expected after such a long lay-off, it seemed he was the right player at the wrong time with concerns to a World Cup place. Still, he couldn’t have done any worse than Matt Upson could he?

He does however offer the England defence a rare and precious commodity that they haven’t had for some time, pace. Ferdinand used to have it in abundance but with numerous thigh and back related injuries; he is obviously on the wane in that department. Terry has the turning circle of a cruise ship liner, Matt Upson could never be considered sprightly and Ledley King, while he retains excellent acceleration over short distances, much like his other injured team mate Jonathan Woodgate, is extremely injury prone and his international career looks all but over sadly. Whereas Gary Cahill has to be considered one for the future rather than the now and Joleon Lescott can’t get a game at centre half for his club Man City.

The status quo will most probably be restored by the time England play Montenegro at home in October, with the likes of Terry and Lampard waltzing back into the starting line up, but In Jagielka’s case at least, seeing him depart from the eleven will be wholly unjustified as his performances have been calm, composed and really quite excellent.

I have never thought that Terry looks at ease at international level, which is strange, as in terms of quality at least, it most certainly ranks below the Champions League nowadays, but with England lacking a Michael Essien figure in front of him to terrorise the opposition midfield, with only a limp Gareth Barry performing the enforcer (I think I can hear laughs at the back) role, he is a lot more exposed and his sometimes fatal weakness becomes more evident and most importantly, more regularly.

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His ascension has been somewhat fortuitous this time whereas last time it was undoubtedly deserved, on the back of some truly exemplary club form, most notably the complete and utter shackling of Fernando Torres in an FA Cup tie, but Jagielka looks to have taken his chance with both hands this time, and to be honest, he does deserve a little bit of luck after what he’s been through, even if his starting eleven place may not last for long and hopefully he’ll add to the 6 England caps in the future that he currently holds.

Written By James McManus

There’s no substitute for experience in football; something that Tottenham fans found out last season as they tried to balance a Premier League campaign with the rigours of Champions League football. It’s something that Stoke are finding out this year too as they make the step up to European football; so far this season Stoke have only taken five points out of a possible twenty-one when playing on the weekend after a mid week European game. In fairness to Spurs they managed it quite well last year but never really looked like getting fourth spot. However it was Redknapp’s first time in the Champions League and the difference between the intensity of Europe’s top two competitions is vast indeed. It has not gone unnoticed at Tottenham.

For anyone to suggest that Spurs could not have qualified from their Europa League group with ease would be ridiculous. If they had wanted to they could have. But instead Redknapp has played teams that resemble anything other than his first eleven. Don’t get me wrong it is still surprising that that they look unlikely to qualify, their second string should easily be able to top a group that includes the likes of Shamrock Rovers. However I doubt you’ll find many people in north London who will be overly disappointed by their probable exit from the competition.

Last season was a learning curve for Spurs and there are a few things that they’ve evidently picked up from it.

Europa League

You could never say that when Harry was previously in the Europa League with Spurs that he gave it his all but he used to put out much stronger sides than he has done this season. Despite their good start to the season Spurs will be aware that there is a long season ahead and competition for places at the top will be ruthless. With seven equally capable teams competing for four spots under no circumstances will Redknapp be in doubt as to what his priorities are. At the beginning of the season he lamented the fact that they were even in the Europa League labelling it an unnecessary distraction. It’s not just the games themselves that tire out the squad it’s the travelling all over Europe mid week. We saw what happened to Arsenal against Fulham after they played a tough match against the German Champions in the week and Redknapp knows that a successful run in Europe is worthless in comparison to a possible place in next year’s Champions League.

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Confidence

Last year’s performance by Tottenham in the Champions League will have left them brimming with confidence and it is starting to show. They beat the then-champions Inter Milan in their group and comfortably brushed aside AC Milan in the knockout stages. There weren’t many fans who thought they were possible of this beforehand but the aren’t many doubting them now. Redknapp has always attempted to instil belief in his players and this year it is perfectly evident that they the message is getting through to them. Interviews like Ledley King’s for The Telegraph and the performances they have been putting in all season are demonstrative of that.

New players

Playing against the best last year perhaps showed Tottenham where their weaknesses lay. The sale of Crouch and Palacios and the acquisition of Adebayor and Parker as their replacements has shored up the suspect areas in their team. When they played Real Madrid in last year’s Champions League their defence was over exposed and Adebayor, then with Madrid, punished them. In two strokes Redknapp has turned that experience to his advantage.

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Every team has low points in the season, it is inevitable, but Spurs have shown so far that they are twice the team they were last season. They are a far more all-round accomplished team and have taken the lessons from last year on board. Redknapp has transformed his team from one that dreamed of playing at Europe’s top table to a team that deserves to be there.

Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay

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With all eyes on Aston Villa over the last few weeks as the threat of relegation now looks serious, not helped with the bust-up between players and staff during what was supposed to be a team bonding session. Plus the Villa fans voicing their opinions on manager Gerard Houllier during their last home game, a trip to in-form Everton is not what the manager wanted.

Everton are 2nd in the league form table having won 3 out of their last 4 games and are now 8th in the table and will be eyeing to finish as high up the league as possible with the remaining 8 fixtures. Goodison Park has also been a fortress for the Toffees where they’ve not lost in their last seven games.

Villa on the other hand is a contrast in the form guide, with the 2nd worst defensive record in the league and 17th in the form guide. They welcome back key defenders Richard Dunne and James Collins who both picked up slight knocks on international duty. However, in form full-back Kyle Walker is doubtful.

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Despite Everton missing a few creative players, their home form should see them come out victors over what seems like a depleted Villa team. However, the form guide is often thrown out the window for these seemingly mis-match games but considering the attention on Villa lately, there will be added pressure on the squad to perform.

Prediction: Everton 2-0 Aston Villa

Watch Jason Cundy & Scott Minto on Scoreboard and see their pre-match predictions

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The relationship between Martin O’Neill and Randy Lerner could be considered one of the best in the league but James Milner’s proposed move to Eastlands has forced O’Neill to admit he is not the sole authority at Villa Park.

Due to the amount of money in football in this day and age, the relationship between chairman and manager is scrutinised on a regular basis. Player transfers are often the bone of contention, a wrestle between keeping key players and business instinct to sell them at the right price.

O’Neill admits “”It is really in the owner’s hand at the end of the day” (Daily Telegraph)

This surely begs the question as to whether Lerner should have a say on the sale of players at all.

This is a footballing matter and perhaps it would be wise to let O’Neil decide whether selling Milner would be a good move for the club.

Milner was key for Villa last season and his versatility would be a credit to most Premier League sides meaning the decision (whoever that will rest with) to sell him would be a big blow if Villa have their sights on reaching the Champions League next season.

Whilst it is clear O’Neill wants Milner to stay, perhaps the quality of the squad would benefit from the 30 million pounds that the young England midfielder is arguably not worth.

Manchester City are set to have a clear-out of some extremely good players in wake of their summer spending and the likes of Stephen Ireland, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Craig Bellamy have all been linked as part of the deal for Milner.

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By seemingly passing the buck to Lerner, O’Neill may soon be searching for a replacement for his winger after detailing that “Whatever they come up with, we will go with. I am not going to be running around dictating. If you own a football club, you can do what you want with it” during their pre-season exploits in Portugal.

It may be concluded that whilst O’Neill hangs desperately onto the bleak hope of keeping such an integral part of the set-up at Villa Park his opinion is overshadowed by Randy Lerner’s business acumen, selling a player for far more than he has yet proved to be worth.