Source: Telegraph
Manchester United's striker options without Wayne Rooney
With the season reaching its decisive stage, he currently has just three fit front-men to choose from. [LNB]Michael Owen (hamstring) and Danny Welbeck (knee) have both been ruled out for the season, with Rooney sweating on news of his injury. [LNB] Related ArticlesWayne Rooney foot injuriesUnited face anxious wait over Rooney injuryFerguson: Rooney injury 'not terribly serious'Ferguson fears for United after Bayern blowBayern Munich 2 Man Utd 1Debate: can United win without Rooney?So the options available to Ferguson ahead of Chelsea's visit to Old Trafford are thin on the ground. [LNB]DIMITAR BERBATOV:[LNB]United's £30.75m club record signing must now shoulder the goalscoring burden. [LNB]So far this season, the Bulgarian has managed just 12 goals in 36 appearances. [LNB]He has also failed to score against any of the top clubs this term, with Everton the highest-ranked team to have conceded a goal to the former Spurs man. [LNB]MAME BIRAM DIOUF:[LNB]The Senegalese forward has been billed as one for the future following his £2m arrival from Molde in December, but the future might have to be now. [LNB]Yet to start a senior game, Diouf has impressed in the reserves with his pace and eye for goal. [LNB]But his current reads as one goal - against Burnley - in six substitute appearances. [LNB]FEDERICO MACHEDA:[LNB]Macheda, 18, has made just six appearances this season, but only one brief outing as a substitute in the Premier League. [LNB]The Italian scored crucial goals against Aston Villa and Sunderland last season, but hamstring and calf injuries have held him back this term. [LNB]Now fit and available, Macheda might be asked to play the hero again in the closing weeks. [LNB]AND IF THINGS GET REALLY BAD... [LNB]RYAN GIGGS:[LNB]The 36 year-old was sometimes deployed as a central striker in his early days at United, so the role would not be alien to Giggs. [LNB]But whether he has the energy to play the role now remains to be seen. [LNB]PAUL SCHOLES:[LNB]Scholes was a prodigious goalscorer for the reserves as a teenager, when he formed a deadly partnership with Dion Dublin. [LNB]The 35 year-old has a natural goalscorers' instinct, but his goal threat has dimmed with age and he would find it tough to perform as a striker now. [LNB]FEBIAN BRANDY:[LNB]The 21 year-old forward is a regular scorer for the reserves, but has yet to make a senior appearance. [LNB]An England U-20 international, Brandy has had loan spells at Swansea and Hereford. [LNB][LNB]PlayerBerbatovMachedaMame Biram DioufAppearances3235Minutes on pitch190817790Goal attemptsGoals1201Shots on target3021Shots off target3436Shooting accuracy (per cent)46.94014.3Chance conversion (per cent)18.8014.3PassingGoal assists500Chances created4670
