Rooney dismisses departure claims

Soccer:Wayne Rooney has described reports suggesting he is leaving Manchester United as "absolute rubbish".

United boss Alex Ferguson has already insisted the England striker, currently out of action with a leg injury sustained in Saturday's defeat of Fulham, remains in his plans.

And Rooney himself said via his Twitter account on Wednesday night: "Read the nonsense in the papers and heard what people have to say. absolute rubbish £heretostay."

However, the striker's chances of figuring in Sunday's Barclays Premier League encounter with Southampton appear non-existent because of the injury - and it seems inevitable he will also miss England's opening World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine next month.