United lose Rooney

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Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will miss the Champions League match against Valencia after succumbing to an ankle injury.

The club announced Rooney would not make the trip to Spain for Wednesday's match after he picked up the injury in the Red Devils' 2-2 draw with Bolton in the English Premier League on Sunday.

While a club statement revealed the injury 'is not thought to be serious', Sir Alex Ferguson has decided not to risk the out-of-form striker as his side goes in search of their first Champions League win of the season.

Rooney will join Ryan Giggs on the sidelines after the veteran midfielder also picked up an injury against Bolton.

"Ryan is the more serious injury," Ferguson said. "It's a hamstring injury and he'll be out for a couple of weeks."

United, who opened their Group C campaign with a disappointing 0-0 draw with Rangers, face a Valencia side currently top of La Liga.

An off-field scandal has seen Rooney's form slump to a career low with Ferguson admitting the controversy had taken a toll on the striker.

But Rooney's former strike partner Ruud van Nistelrooy, who now plays for Hamburg, said he needed to ignore the controversy and concentrate on football.

"I think that the most important thing for a footballer is that you focus on the game," van Nistelrooy said.

"That's obviously the main thing. In England there is the press that looks into other parts as well."

"That doesn't happen in other countries really. You get judged by your performance on the pitch and that's how it should be."

"I think that's the way it should be. You have to live with that if you play in England."

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