• Ankle injury will keep striker out for up to three weeks • Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes out for 10 days

Wayne Rooney looks certain to miss England's Euro 2012 qualifier at home to Montenegro next month after Sir Alex Ferguson said the striker would be out for two to three weeks with an ankle injury.

Rooney did not travel today with Manchester United to Valencia for tomorrow's Champions League game because of the problem, which he aggravated at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday. He will also not feature in United's Premier League game at Sunderland this weekend.

"It will be two to three weeks," said Ferguson. "But it depends because Wayne has done quite well with his recovery from injury in the past. It is a straightforward ankle injury. And it is not the same one he did in Munich [last season]."

Rooney's absence is a blow for England as well as United, despite his lack of form. England face Montenegro at Wembley two weeks today, when Fabio Capello will also be without his other first-choice forward, the injured Jermain Defoe.

The manager will not be able to call on Bobby Zamora, who has a broken leg, or Emile Heskey, who has retired from international duty. England must also cope without the midfielders James Milner and Frank Lampard. Darren Bent and Peter Crouch will be among the contenders to start in attack.

Rooney's injury is worse than United had initially thought. Ferguson's assistant, Mike Phelan, said after the draw at Bolton that he thought Rooney would be fit to face Valencia. Rooney had been withdrawn an hour into that game and Phelan said the forward had been carrying the injury for a couple of weeks.

United will also be without Paul Scholes until after the international break. The midfielder also misses tomorrow's game, because of a calf injury, and Ferguson said the former England player would be out for 10 days.

"You don't want to lose your best players, that goes without saying," said United's manager. "The problem is with one of those small injuries like Paul has got, when you are travelling and sitting on a plane, stiffness comes into it and doesn't make it any better.

"It was a big decision to leave him behind. Because it is only a little one, you are tempted to play him when it is not wise. He should be ready in 10 days."