With Carlos Tevez in outstanding form, Cristiano Ronaldo inching back to full fitness and Dimitar Berbatov just needing more match sharpness to prove he is worthy of the £30million price-tag he commanded from Tottenham, Rooney is in danger of becoming Manchester United's odd man out.

Although he was outstanding for England in their brilliant 4-1 win over Croatia, he has struggled to replicate that form for the Red Devils.

Rooney is yet to find the target for Ferguson's team this term, something both Tevez and Ronaldo have managed, and it would be no surprise if the 22-year-old found it was his turn for a rest when United tackle Bolton searching for their first home Premier League win on Saturday.

Yet Ferguson insists he is not concerned for the young Merseysider.

"Players are still trying to find their fitness," argued Ferguson.

"Wayne is not getting a lot of chances at the moment but Liverpool and Chelsea are hardly the easiest places to go.

"It is difficult to judge the goalscoring performance of any player when you have those two games right at the start of a season."

Ferguson was able to confirm Rooney will be left out at some stage during the campaign. But it will have nothing to do with the former Everton striker's form.

Rooney may have developed a welcome reputation for wanting to play every minute of every game. However, in modern-day football it is just not possible.

"For us to achieve what we want to achieve we need four strikers," said Ferguson.

"I have been saying for over a year now we have been operating with two strikers, which is ridiculous for a club of our size.

"It is not always a matter of who is playing the best or who I prefer. It is a matter of keeping the freshness in the team.

"There is an art to keeping strikers fresh.

"You go back to the four strikers I had in 1999, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole were always just in front but it was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham who scored at the most important time."

Danny Welbeck's performance as a lone frontman against Middlesbrough in midweek has convinced Ferguson the 17-year-old can be included among his quartet, although more likely Ronaldo will provide the support to Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov, who Ferguson is waiting to hit top form as well.

"We would have rather had Dimitar on July 1 than August 31," reflected Ferguson.

"He will improve us, there is no question about that at all.

"But we are playing catch-up fitness-wise.

"It is difficult to say how long it will take because he is quite a languid mover.

"He is a very quick decision-maker, though, and he has a composure and calmness about him.

"We have a lot of young players up front, so bringing someone in with those attributes and that sense of timing is good for us."

Having never previously expressed any reservations about Bolton's style of play, Ferguson has decided to change tack.

His criticism of Kevin Davies' tackle on Arsenal's Gael Clichy last week may have been triggered by Emanuel Pogatetz's even more desperate lunge on his own Rodrigo Possebon, but Ferguson clearly felt the Bolton man went too far.

"I know (Bolton boss) Gary Megson has but it is hard to defend anyone when he makes tackles like the one last week," said Ferguson.

"He might have got the ball with his right foot but he didn't with his left."

At least Ferguson was able to deliver some good news on Possebon after he was carried off against Middlesbrough.

Like Michael Carrick and Thomas Kuszczak - but not Edwin van der Sar, despite the keeper limping out of the draw at Chelsea last weekend - the young Brazilian will miss out on Saturday.

But with no break and no ligament damage either, it is far less serious than Ferguson originally feared.

"I looked at the reaction from Nani when it happened," recalled the Red Devils chief.

"It was the same as the Arsenal players for Eduardo last season and even when David Busst suffered his terrible injury at Old Trafford a few years back.

"Thankfully, it is just a gash in the bone.

"He does have to go back into hospital to have it closed up but we are quite happy with that."