Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney suffers fresh injury setback while in Qatar

England striker had been beset by injury problems this season

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (right) watches the Qatar Masters golf in Doha with team-mates Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes yesterday (Getty Images)

Wayne Rooney is at the centre of new injury concerns after he was seen holding his thigh, grimacing and hobbling during a warm weather training session in Qatar with Manchester United.

Rooney has begun no more than seven successive games in a stop-start season, with his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, acknowledging on several occasions that the 27-year-old's physical make-up requires three games after each comeback before he is fully match-fit. He appeared to be in some discomfort in Qatar, rolling up his shorts and shaking his head at one stage during short sprints in the training session.

United's Ashley Young could also be out for longer than Ferguson had anticipated when he said last week that the England international might be absent for only a week or two. Young left Old Trafford on crutches after the 2-1 win over Liverpool earlier this month, following a first-half collision with Daniel Agger which caused damage to his knee – worryingly, on the same right leg that has caused him so much trouble over the last year or so. The initial prognosis led to Ferguson's optimism when he discussed the player last week, though Young may not be back until next month at the earliest.

Rooney's only start this year was the FA Cup third-round replay against West Ham, in which his goal and missed penalty summed up the frustrations of a season in which he has scored 12 times in all competitions. It is a rate he will looking to improve as United seek to progress in three competitions, with Fulham visiting Old Trafford in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday. The England striker missed his team's 4-3 Boxing Day win over Newcastle after he tore a ligament in the back of his knee at training on Christmas Day, before sitting out United's next two fixtures over the festive period against West Bromwich Albion and Wigan.