Alex Ferguson has opted to sidestep a confrontation with Wayne Rooney – and turn his sights on renowned knee surgeon Dr Richard Steadman instead.

Alex Ferguson today sidestepped the Wayne Rooney issue ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League clash with West Brom at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Wayne Rooney is facing an anxious wait to see if he is recalled to the Manchester United team tomorrow when they face West Brom at Old Trafford.

CHELSEA midfielder Yossi Benayoun has been ruled out for up to six months due to an achilles injury suffered while on international duty with Israel.

MANCHESTER UNITED midfielder Owen Hargreaves has been handed a boost by manager Alex Ferguson after he pulled him out of the reserves to train with the first team.

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has been handed a boost by manager Alex Ferguson after he pulled him out of the reserves to train with the first team.

Owen Hargreaves is set to make his long-awaited comeback for Manchester United in a reserve team encounter on Thursday.

FULHAM have confirmed that Andy Johnson has been ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on his knee.

Fulham have confirmed that Andy Johnson has been ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on his knee.

Alex Ferguson insists Owen Hargreaves will eventually return to action even though he has been forced to leave the £18m midfielder out of Manchester United’s Champions League squad.

Owen Hargreaves has been left out of Manchester United’s Champions League squad.

FRENCH football fans yesterday snapped up every one of the 49,500 tickets that went on public sale for the second leg of the World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland in Paris on November 18.

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves believes his injury nightmare is almost at an end as he targets a return to action in the near future.

Owen Hargreaves could be back playing in four weeks.

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves took another step towards recovery from his knee surgery when he returned to the Red Devils’ Carrington training complex this morning.

Owen Hargreaves is confident he will return from major knee surgery as a better player.

Bolton midfielder Joey O’Brien is expected to be on the sidelines for around eight weeks following an operation on his left knee.

Everton'sJames Vaughan has finally undergone surgery to his right knee, four weeks after twisting the joint in training.

Everton 2 Aston Villa 3

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY is set to miss the rest of the Primera Liga season due to a knee injury, Real Madrid confirmed yesterday.

Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is keeping his fingers crossed his latest knee problem will only keep him sidelined until the middle of January.

Owen Hargreaves must put his career in the hands of leading knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman.

ALEX Ferguson is keeping his fingers crossed that a double knee operation will eventually get Owen Hargreaves back on to the field for Manchester United.

Owen Hargreaves has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Tiger Woods could be out of action for as little as three months after undergoing a knee reconstruction.

Everton teenager James Vaughan has suffered another injury setback and looks unlikely to play again this season.

Celtic defender Mark Wilson will head to America next week for a consultation in Colorado with knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman.

Alex Ferguson has confirmed Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung will miss the remainder of the campaign with a knee injury.

Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung has flown to meet American knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman for a diagnosis on the injury which has almost certainly ended his season.

THE small town of Vail, Colorado, is an unlikely place to find one of the key figures in world sport.

Michael Owen could opt to miss the final games of the season even if he is fit to return for Newcastle before their campaign finishes.

Aston Villa right-back Mark Delaney is to visit top knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman in America in a bid to solve the knee problem that has dogged him all season.

Celtic defender John Kennedy admits he has to control his desire to throw himself headlong into his return to playing.

Jimmy Bullard is prepared to sit out the remainder of the season after visiting top specialist Dr Richard Steadman about his knee injury.

England striker Michael Owen has been assured his knee operation will not end his career.

Newcastle striker Michael Owen insists he will not only return to his best after his cruciate knee ligament surgery but believes his career will be extended by the operation.

Michael Owen can set his sights on a return to action after his second operation to repair his cruciate knee ligament “went extremely well”.

Newcastle striker Michael Owen headed for surgery in the United States today promising he would make a full recovery from his knee injury.

Newcastle striker Michael Owen must wait for the swelling in his knee to go down before he undergoes a second bout of surgery.

Bolton will be without defender Ricardo Gardner until October while he recovers from a third cruciate knee ligament operation.

Michael Owen has received a “big bonus” in his bid to recover from a knee injury after scans revealed only his anterior cruciate ligament was ruptured while playing for England.

England striker Michael Owen will jet out to America on Monday to see top specialist Richard Steadman about his knee injury.

MANCHESTER UNITED’S Quinton Fortune is set to see a specialist over the recurring knee problem that has ruled him out so far this season.

Liverpool midfielder Boudewijn Zenden is likely to miss the rest of the season after learning he must undergo surgery on a cruciate ligament injury.