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. Michael Owen (hamstring) and Danny Welbeck (knee) have both been ruled out for the season, with Rooney sweating on news of his injury.  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. DIMITAR BERBATOV:United's £30.75m club record signing must now shoulder the goalscoring burden. So far this season, the Bulgarian has managed just 12 goals in 36 appearances. 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. MAME BIRAM DIOUF: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. Yet to start a senior game, Diouf has impressed in the reserves with his pace and eye for goal. But his current reads as one goal - against Burnley - in six substitute appearances. FEDERICO MACHEDA:Macheda, 18, has made just six appearances this season, but only one brief outing as a substitute in the Premier League. The Italian scored crucial goals against Aston Villa and Sunderland last season, but hamstring and calf injuries have held him back this term. Now fit and available, Macheda might be asked to play the hero again in the closing weeks. AND IF THINGS GET REALLY BAD. RYAN GIGGS: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. But whether he has the energy to play the role now remains to be seen. PAUL SCHOLES:Scholes was a prodigious goalscorer for the reserves as a teenager, when he formed a deadly partnership with Dion Dublin. 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. FEBIAN BRANDY:The 21 year-old forward is a regular scorer for the reserves, but has yet to make a senior appearance. An England U-20 international, Brandy has had loan spells at Swansea and Hereford. PlayerBerbatovMachedaMame Biram DioufAppearances3235Minutes on pitch190817790Goal attemptsGoals1201Shots on target3021Shots off target3436Shooting accuracy (per cent)46.94014.3Chance conversion (per cent)18.8014.3PassingGoal assists500Chances created4670

Source: Telegraph