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Bayern Munich v Manchester United: Wayne Rooney prepared for painkilling injection in order to be fit for Champions League decider

United's season hinges on the quarter-final second leg against Bayern but the striker is struggling with a reported chipped bone in his toe

Jack de Menezes
Monday 07 April 2014 16:39 BST
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Manchester United look set to have Wayne Rooney available for their season-defining Champions League quarter-final second leg with Bayern Munich despite the striker struggling with a painful toe injury that kept him out of the 4-0 victory over Newcastle on Saturday.

Rooney is believed to have chipped a bone in his foot during the 1-1 first leg draw, with fears that it was just a badly bruised toe looking to be inaccurate. But the 27-year-old will take strong painkillers ahead of the Allianz Arena encounter as well as a possible painkilling injection in order to feature against the Champions League holders, and United would certainly stand a better chance with their best player this season available for the 90 minutes.

Manager David Moyes did reveal that they are considering giving Rooney a painkilling injection in order to start the striker for the second leg, with the Scot keen to have his best attacking options available with United needing to score after conceding an away goal at Old Trafford.

“There is not an awful lot you can do with a toe injury,” said Moyes. “Sometimes you can feel better quite quickly and sometimes you need an injection possibly to play with it if it is bruising.

“You have to make sure there isn’t a hairline fracture or crack in your toe. We will have all that checked.”

Rooney has cut a determined figure this season, leading United’s scoring charts this season with 17 goals this season, and the England international was able to take part in training away from the pitch to maintain his sharpness for the Bayern clash.

“We have worked him hard on the bike and in the swimming pool, Friday and today [Saturday] and we will give him every opportunity to be fit,” Moyes explained after the victory over the Magpies.

Rooney suffered an ankle injury on his last visit to Bayern’s home stadium in 2010, and although United rushed him back for the second leg, he was forced off after 55 minutes after aggravating the injury and a poor display at the ensuing World Cup was blamed on a lack of match fitness because of the injury.

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