Rooney: England Defy Man United to Claim Star Striker for the World Cup

The England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has won his struggle with Manchester United and Wayne Rooney is set to play in the World Cup finals.

An independent arbiter appointed by football's governing body Fifa decided, in defiance of the club's medical opinion, that the forward's broken metatarsal had healed sufficiently for him to appear in the knockout stages of the tournament, should England qualify. Rooney, who had been determined to take part in the World Cup, arrived back last night at Karlsruhe airport, near the team base in Baden-Baden. He is expected to begin full training immediately.

United, however, have not ruled out the possibility of action should Rooney be hurt at the tournament, particularly if the metatarsal should be fractured again. They intend to hold the FA responsible. The club's chief executive David Gill, returning today from a trip to America, will discuss the matter with Sir Alex Ferguson, who is currently abroad on holiday.

Last night United released a statement confirming Rooney had returned to the England camp. It went on: "He is now in the care of the England medical team. The expert independent medical view is that Wayne has a good chance of being fit after the group stage.

"At that point, the expert independent medical view is that his participation in the tournament will require very careful assessment in order to address his suitability, as he will not have had the opportunity to play in less-demanding games."

Rooney had travelled from Germany yesterday morning to have his latest scan on the damaged toe at a clinic in Whalley Range, Manchester. The scan had been brought forward at Eriksson's request because the deadline for confirming his squad is today and there would have been no further opportunity to replace him.

Club and country differed in their interpretation of the results of the scan. United believe that the injury has not healed completely and debate could have centred on the degree of calcification necessary for the toe to be fully strengthened.

Rooney broke the metatarsal in a game with Chelsea on April 29. When he had the same injury in June 2004, while playing for England, he did not make his debut with United for three months. The cases are not identical, but the club cannot accept that the rapid comeback this time is a responsible move. His return could come in the knockout phase, with England set to play on June 24 or 25, assuming they get through the first round. In view of Eriksson's present adventurousness there is even a possibility that Rooney could be selected before then.

The manager has always been adamant that the player would take part and Rooney's own desire to appear was also a factor in yesterday's events. The FA, too, have thrown their weight behind Eriksson's stance.

Rooney was accompanied yesterday by the FA's executive director David Davies. He grinned at least as broadly as the forward when leaving Whalley Range. The medical argument had involved Leif Sward and Tony Gill, the respective doctors at the FA and Manchester United, but specialist opinion will also have been involved.

Rooney, having gone from the clinic to the home of the parents of his girlfriend Coleen McLoughlin, was summoned back to Whalley Range late in the afternoon. He spent two hours there, a length of time that testifies to the medical differences of opinion.

The prospects of Rooney playing in the World Cup had improved, in laymen's eyes at least, when he was seen hitting the ball hard last week.