London: Wayne Rooney insists new boots were not responsible for his foot injury. The Manchester United and England striker was wearing the new-design Nike ‘Total 90 Supremacy’ boots at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

He dismissed any suggestion they might have contributed to the injury that even in the best-case scenario will rule him out of action for six weeks.

He told MuTV: “I don’t think my football boots had anything to do with the injury. Before we actually wear the boots they get tested out to make sure they’re suitable for playing in. The boots have been checked out and the boots are fine.”

Fifa cries 'foul' over book

London: The hype surrounding the World Cup has created the biggest surge yet in sports publishing, according to industry experts, but one of the 87 related books out this summer that has not be welcomed by Fifa is Foul! by Andrew Jennings, the investigative journalist.

Fifa has applied for an injunction against the publication of “false and libellous claims”. The book, out this week, promises to expose bribery, vote-rigging and ticketing scandals involving senior figures.

Tunisia build-up

Tunis: Tunisia confirmed plans for hosting a four-nation tournament in their build-up to next month’s World Cup finals in Germany.

Libya will play Uruguay in the first match on May 30 in Rade and Tunisia will then meet Belarus, the African country’s football federation reported on its website on Wednesday. The final is on June 2.

Poland lose

Belchatow (Poland): Slack defending and a lacklustre second-half performance led to Poland losing 0-1 to Lithuania in a World Cup warm-up on Tuesday.

The makeshift back four were caught napping by a quick throw-in after 14 minutes, flicked on for midfielder Andrius Gedgaudas to volley home unchallenged from eight metres.