Soccer

Frustrated Wayne Rooney eyes return against old club Everton

‘It has been eight games now I have missed and I didn’t realise it was that many’

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United is interviewed at the launch of a partnership between Manchester United and Gulf OIl at Aon Training Complex. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images
Wayne Rooney of Manchester United is interviewed at the launch of a partnership between Manchester United and Gulf OIl at Aon Training Complex. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images
Tue Mar 15 2016 - 09:59

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has said he expects to make his first-team return from a knee ligament injury next month.

Rooney has been out for eight games and will miss England’s upcoming friendlies against Germany (March 26th) and Netherlands (March 29th) but is eyeing a return for United’s Premier League fixture against his former club Everton on April 3rd.

“My recovery is going as planned. I don’t know for definite but (I should be back) after the international break,” Rooney said as he attended the unveiling of United’s partnership with Gulf Oil International on Monday.

“It has been eight games now I have missed and I didn’t realise it was that many. It has been frustrating.”

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The 30-year-old striker said he would have plenty of time to prove his fitness ahead of England’s Euro 2016 campaign in France which begins in June with Group B matches against Russia, Wales and Slovakia.

“There could be ten games left for United, plus the England (warm-up) games, so I don’t think that (being fit for the Euro 2016) would be a worry.”