Monday, 13th August 2007 at 6:44 pm

Wayne Rooney puts his foot in it

Is Wayne Rooney the new Mfuneko Ngam? Alright, so it’s not the first analogy that springs to mind, but South Africa’s perenially injured fast bowler (who is now made of 70% water, and 30% sticky tape) is being mirrored by Manchester United’s foul-mouthed striker, who now faces three months at home on the couch (while Colleen comes home with more mismatched designer outfits) recovering from a broken foot. You can still hear the howls of dismay from Old Trafford…

Throw in a tepid draw with Reading on the opening weekend of the Premiership, and United are hardly off to a flyer; shrugging off the loss of two points at home won’t be eased by Rooney’s injury, robbing United of their principal front man, and the league of one of its most natural talents. Not that the rest of the league will complaining; they will be watching carefully, however, to see how Carlos Tevez, the new man from Argentina, responds to the added pressure heaped upon him by Rooney’s absence.

That’s just one strand of a season-long drama, the first glimpses of which unfolded over the weekend. Arsenal players diving with the practised ease of a young Jurgen Klinsman, Sven Goran Eriksson back in the English game with City, Sam Allardyce putting one over his old Bolton side… Rooney might have the first batch of headlines, but there are plenty more on the way. Another Premiership season? Feverpitcher is already glued to the couch.