Fergie refusing to panic over title

Alex Ferguson claimed 96 days without a game finally caught up with Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford yesterday.

The £27m (€39.1m) teenager made a sensational start to his Manchester United career last week with a hat-trick against Fenerbahce but the England forward was rarely in the action as United were held 1-1 by Middlesbrough and slipped nine points behind Premiership leaders Arsenal.