Post by Taxigirl on Nov 11, 2003 10:43:18 GMT
Wayne Rooney looks certain to miss England's friendly with Denmark on Saturday because of flu.
The teenage striker missed Everton's defeat at Blackburn on Monday after becoming the latest victim of a virus which is sweeping through Goodison Park.
Everton boss David Moyes confirmed Rooney was one of several players suffering and added he would be "surprised" if Rooney was fit enough to play in the England match.
Moyes said after the Blackburn game: "He's got flu. He started to show signs of it on Sunday and I think he is just at the start of it."
He added: "It could be the end of the week at the earliest before he is out of his bed if it takes the same course as the other players."
Even if Rooney recovers quickly, he seems certain not to be fit enough to join up with Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad.
And that will leave the England coach with a striking crisis to solve.
Eriksson only named three strikers in his 23-man squad to face Denmark, with Michael Owen injured and James Beattie and Alan Smith surprisingly overlooked.
Without Rooney, Eriksson would be left with Emile Heskey and Darius Vassell as his only recognised strikers in the squad.
And that could force him into an embarrassing u-turn regarding Beattie or Smith.
Meanwhile, England captain David Beckham has been told by Real Madrid club doctors to rest for 72 hours because of a back injury sustained in the 4-1 away defeat against Sevilla.