United face anxious Rooney wait over injury

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney faces a race to be fit in time for the club’s hectic schedule at the end of this month.

Rooney missed United’s League Cup quarter-final clash at Stoke City on Wednesday with an as yet unconfirmed injury.

With Robin van Persie set for a month on the sidelines with a thigh strain that rules him out of the traditional busy run of December games, United manager David Moyes is anxiously awaiting developments regarding Rooney.

The Premier League champions face West Ham, Hull City, Norwich City and Tottenham in the space of a 12-day period that starts with Saturday’s visit of Sam Allardyce’s men to Old Trafford.

Rooney is the side’s top scorer in the league this season with eight goals in 14 appearances and has earned regular praise from Moyes for his fine form.

United are eighth in the Premier League, some 10 points adrift of leaders Arsenal.