Rooney gets a new test early

Manchester United have brought forward England striker Wayne Rooney's next scan on a broken fourth metatarsal and warned the injury "involves a joint" and could take longer to heal than previously thought.

Originally scheduled for June 14, United and England have brought the scan forward to June 7 so that Rooney's fitness can be assessed before FIFA's June 9 deadline for replacing him in England's World Cup squad.

"Both parties agree that everything possible is being done to aid the recovery of the fracture, which involves the joint," United said in a statement.

"Following a meeting today between England's medical team and Manchester United's medical team, with both manager's present, it has been agreed to obtain a further precautionary CT scan on June 7 in order for the England management to make a decision before the deadline of June 9."

Worryingly for England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and England's hopes of taking the striker to Germany, United also said on its website that 'involving the joint' meant: "an injury which takes longer to heal."

Rooney, who injured his right foot during United's Premier League defeat at Chelsea on April 29, is an inspirational figure for Eriksson's side.

FIFA rules state that Eriksson can replace him in the squad up to 24 hours before their opening World Cup game in Group B against Paraguay on June 10.

Bringing forward the scan means that if Rooney were to be ruled out of the finals completely, he could be replaced by a standby player, probably Jermain Defoe.

Eriksson has previously clung to the hope that although recovering from injury, the 20-year-old forward might be fit in time for the latter stages of the tournament -- assuming England qualified from the group stage.

After the Paraguayans, England go on to face Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden.

Rooney's absence from the finals would be a major blow to England's hopes of winning their first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup.

His place in the starting lineup alongside Michael Owen is expected to go to lanky Liverpool striker Peter Crouch. Owen and Crouch are due to start England's friendly on Tuesday at Old Trafford against Hungary.