Manchester United striker Michael Owen is back on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury.
The 30-year-old was expected to start Tuesday’s Carling Cup encounter with Wolves at Old Trafford after shrugging off a groin problem.
However, a minor hamstring niggle picked up during training has left the experienced striker in the treatment room once again.
Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson hailed the brilliance of Javier Hernandez after the Mexican starlet fired the Red Devils into the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
Hernandez’s sixth goal since arriving at Old Trafford for £7million before the World Cup earned the 3-2 victory over Wolves.
“He was absolutely brilliant – it was a magnificent goal,” said Ferguson. “He’s shaped to shoot, dummied the defender and finished really well.”
Will Manchester United win the Carling Cup this season? – Latest Football Betting
Blackburn Rovers supporters have been told to expect a prudent approach from their prospective new Indian owners.
Venky’s, an Indian poultry giant, expect to complete a £45million takeover at Ewood Park in the coming days and will wipe of the club’s debt, which reportedly stands at around £16million.
However, they are unlikely to go down the route of some foreign owners of Premier League outfits who have bankrolled their club to record-breaking levels.
Reports claim manager Sam Allardyce will be given just £5million to spend on new players in January.
Out-of-favour striker Roque Santa Cruz has cast doubt over his and Carlos Tevez’s futures at Manchester City.
Santa Cruz has revealed he is determined to leave Eastlands in January and move to Spain.
Meanwhile, the Paraguay striker claims that Tevez, who was recently installed as City captain, is desperate to return to his native Argentina.
In rugby league, centre Michael Shenton has been ruled out of the remainder of England’s Four Nations campaign with ankle ligament damage.
The 24-year-old was injured during Saturday’s opening 24-10 defeat to New Zealand in Wellington and will take no further part in the competition.
Australia left-arm quickie Doug Bollinger is expected to recover from a stomach injury in time to feature in the first Ashes cricket Test against England in late November.
Bollinger was forced to leave the recent tour of India early, but is making a good recovery back at home in Australia.
Australia are slight favourites in the online betting markets to reclaim the Ashes on home soil.
