Fresh Owen woe for United
18 Jul 2008 - 13:09:48
Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Owen Hargreaves will miss Manchester United's pre-season tour of South Africa with a recurrence of the knee tendonitis problems which marred his first season at Old Trafford.
The England midfielder started just 16 Premier League games in his debut season with the Red Devils after a series of lay-offs caused by tendonitis in his knees.
The £17million signing from Bayern Munich underwent a course of injections midway through the campaign to ease the problem, but has reported back for pre-season training with fresh discomfort.
Hargreaves will now remain at United's Carrington training complex while his team-mates play four games - including one against Premier League rivals Portsmouth - as part of a busy pre-season schedule.
"It was apparent as soon as he came back to training," revealed Ferguson.
"It is the same as last year. Some people get these things.
"Maybe restarting training on the firmish grounds brings it on or maybe it is just an inherent problem.
"We are trying to sort it out now with injections. That is what we did last November and it worked.
"Hopefully these work and by the time we come back from South Africa he should be okay.
"Owen is not written off for the start of the season at all. I am sure he will be okay."
