BADEN BADEN (Germany), June 7: England were anxiously waiting for news of Wayne Rooney on Wednesday after the Manchester United striker had a scan on his broken foot.

Rooney's chances of playing any part at the World Cup, which England start on Saturday against Paraguay, hinge on the scan carried out at a private hospital in Whalley Range, Manchester.

“United doctor Tony Gill, England doctor Leif Sward and specialists at the hospital in Whalley Range where Rooney had the scan will examine the results and make a decision,” United said in a statement on their website.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has been defiantly optimistic since Rooney was injured on April 29 in a Premier League game at Chelsea that he would recover for the finals.

Though unlikely to play in the Group B matches which continue against Trinidad & Tobago and finish against Sweden on June 20, the hope is that the explosive 20-year-old could turn out if England reached the second round.

That match would be on June 24 or June 25.

“If Rooney's rehabilitation has progressed as expected then Eriksson will keep the 20-year-old striker in his squad,” United said.

Eriksson has until 24 hours before the Paraguay game to replace Rooney with standby striker Jermain Defoe.—Reuters