OWEN Hargreaves had been expected to make his European bow for Manchester United in the workmanlike 1-0 win over Roma - instead he faces another agonising month on the sidelines with a knee injury.

And Sir Alex Ferguson's post-match revelation that the combative midfielder had needed an injection to treat tendinitis will have repercussions well beyond the confines of Old Trafford, with the 26-year-old seemingly certain to miss England's forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia.

Ferguson did at least offer the small crumb of comfort that Hargreaves should not need surgery but he was clearly downcast as he said: "Owen has had an injection in his knee and he'll be out for three to four weeks.

"This is an option we had from the very start, and if it resurfaced again we (decided we) would do that.

"So he's had an injection to try to clear the tendinitis in his knee."

In the wake of the news on Hargreaves it was easy to almost forget that United had won again - their seventh straight victory aside from the Carling Cup capitulation to Coventry last week.

And it was a win courtesy of Wayne Rooney's first goal of the season, a strike that showed what potential still remains largely unlocked in Ferguson's squad this season.

Impressive

Latching on to the impressive Nani's through ball, the England striker did not think twice before sending a brilliant shot across the helpless Giancarlo Curci and then watched it nestle in the net via a post.

It was his first competitive goal since April 28 when he clinched an astonishing comeback he had largely initiated himself at Everton.

Ferguson was delighted to see his young star back on the scoresheet in a campaign which has only just got going for Rooney following his opening-day metatarsal injury against Reading.

"It was only his fourth match and he is still trying to get his rhythm and real match fitness, that happens when you only play a few games," he said.

"But it will do him good, goals always do players good, particularly when goals are expected of them, so I'm pleased with that."

The performance of 20-year-old winger Nani would have been equally pleasing for Ferguson as he finally began to show the form that prompted his big-money move to the Barclays Premier League.

Elsewhere, however, there was little to get the pulse racing - almost inevitably, perhaps, given the hype surrounding United's 7-1 demolition of the Romans in last season's quarter-finals.

The Italians, and particularly Simone Perrotta and Mauro Esposito, had gilt-edged chances to level or even win the game as United again failed to really stamp their authority on a game.

But with a maximum six points from the first two games Ferguson is already well on the way to his 10-point qualification target, and that is all that really counts.

What do you make of Hargreaves' early-season injury woes? Have your say.