England striker Wayne Rooney will be out of action for six weeks after fracturing a bone in his right foot, his club Manchester United said on Saturday.
"Wayne Rooney has a fracture of the base of the fourth metatarsal on his right foot. He will be out for six weeks," said a brief statement on United's website.
Rooney suffered the injury in their Premier League defeat at title-winners Chelsea earlier on Saturday after falling heavily under a challenge from Paulo Ferreira after 78 minutes.
He immediately held his foot, grimacing with pain, and was carried off on a stretcher before leaving Stamford Bridge on crutches.
Rooney is seen as vital to England's chances of success at the World Cup which starts in Germany on June 9. They play their first match against Paraguay in Frankfurt on June 10.
The 20-year-old, who has scored 11 times in 29 international appearances, limped out of Euro 2004 when he suffered a foot injury during England's quarter-final defeat by hosts Portugal.
Rooney cracked the fifth metatarsal, an identical injury suffered at the end of 2005 by England striker Michael Owen.
TERRY INJURY
Owen, sidelined for four months, made his comeback from the injury as a substitute in Newcastle United's goalless draw with Birmingham City on Saturday but was clearly uncomfortable.
"There is a little bit of a dull ache there, so he (Owen) is being honest, as he always is," Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder told the club's website.
"He is not saying he is feeling a sharp pain or an excessive pain but he just doesn't feel 100 percent right."
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he was scared for Rooney, although he was initially told the injury was not too serious.
"England need the boy, the World Cup needs the boy," said the Portuguese coach. "I know Paulo did not touch him but the worst kind of injuries can be where there was no contact."
Ironically, Rooney had earlier inflicted a nasty injury on Chelsea defender and England team mate John Terry when he slid into a challenge and raked his studs along the top of the central defender's foot.
Terry needed two minutes of treatment on the pitch and had 10 stitches inserted in the wound at halftime.
Terry, who has played in all of Chelsea's league games this season, was able to return for the second half although he was clearly in pain and was hobbling long before the final whistle.
Chelsea won the match 3-0 to clinch the title for the second year in succession.
(Additional reporting by Ken Ferris)
