Hernandez all set to remain in the firing line

Rooney is currently on holiday in Dubai after being given time off to rest an injured ankle.

The 25-year-old suffered the injury in training 11 days ago during an extraordinary week that started with him expressing a desire to leave the club but ended with him signing a five-year contract.

Rooney was expected to be out of action for three weeks but manager Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday said he thought it could be longer.

That would almost certainly rule the England striker out of the potentially explosive derby against Manchester City at Eastlands on November 10.

With Michael Owen also sidelined, that could mean an extended chance for summer signing Hernandez, who has impressed with four goals in his last four games.

The 22-year-old Mexico international struck twice, including a late winner, in last weekend's crucial Barclays Premier League victory over Stoke and followed up with another decisive goal against Wolves in the Carling Cup.

Ferguson has been impressed by the way he has settled since his move from Guadalajara but never had any doubts he would succeed.

The Scot said: "We are not surprised because we identified a lot about him before we signed him. We did a lot of work on him.

"Seeing him in pre-season and training we thought he would do well.

"He is young and wants to learn and he comes from a really good football pedigree. He speaks the language and that is important. Everything is in his favour.

"We are all pleased. Everyone is really excited to have him at the club. He has done really well.

"His winning goal on Tuesday demonstrated again that he is a very good finisher."

Ferguson needs Hernandez to maintain his current form, and Dimitar Berbatov to reproduce his performances of the early campaign, to keep the spotlight away from Rooney's lack of goals.

Rooney had struggled for form all season before getting injured, netting just once for United in the first two months of the campaign.

When asked yesterday if Rooney was still on target to return in line with the initial three-week prognosis, Ferguson said: "I think it may be longer."

He added: "There is no recovery – it is just rest.

"Before he went away we did his remedial in terms of what we could do at the time. Thereafter, rest – we're quite happy with that."

Rooney's position at United dominated the headlines throughout last week but the team started to put the issue behind them with their hard-fought 2-1 win at Stoke.

Ferguson says it is no longer an issue as United prepare to host fellow Champions League challengers Tottenham at Old Trafford today.

"The players are focused," Ferguson said. "That is the important thing.

"It was a good result for us on Sunday, a strong result in the sense of we know how difficult it is to go to Stoke.

"The good part for me was coming back from losing a goal. Given our record this year of losing late goals, it could have been a killer for us. But they galvanised themselves really well.

"They played their best football in that five-minute period after they scored and then after our second goal. It was a good lift for everyone."

Ferguson is now expecting a tough battle with Harry Redknapp's Spurs, who, after finishing fourth last season to qualify for Europe's elite competition, are again riding high in fifth.

Spurs are just two points behind third-placed United and boast two of the competition's most in-form attacking players in Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart.

Ferguson said: "We have certainly seen a new Tottenham over the last couple of years.

"I think their progress has been excellent under Harry.

"He has brought a consistency to them and I think the area which is new for him is coping with the Premier League and a European league.

"They have got a massive game on Tuesday (against Inter Milan) but they have been to Milan and did very well to recover with 10 men.

"These are interesting times for them, so we expect a hard game."

Owen is likely to be out for another four to five weeks after suffering a hamstring injury in training just as he was poised to return from a groin problem.

Veteran Ryan Giggs is still out with a hamstring injury but should return to training on Monday.

Redknapp believes Manchester United will push Chelsea all the way in the Barclays Premier League title race despite their recent travails.

United are unbeaten in the league this season but have drawn more games than they have won.

The Spurs boss feels once Rooney recovers from an ankle injury and rediscovers his form, Ferguson's men will be back on track.

"They've had a few problems, haven't they, obviously losing Rooney with his injury and then another few problems they've had with Rooney," Redknapp said.

"When he comes back firing on all cylinders, they'll always be there.

"They've got a fantastic manager; he gets the best out of them every year; they produce great teams and I wouldn't write them off.

"They'll be right again there pushing all the way for the championship.

"Chelsea are obviously favourites at the moment but I don't think Man United will be too far away again come the end of the season."

Redknapp is pondering resting Bale ahead of Tuesday's Champions League game with Inter Milan.

"We've got two big games and I'll look at it," Redknapp said. "He's had a really hard spell of playing game after game."

Redknapp, who gave Bale a few days off this week, joked: "He went abroad - he went to Cardiff.

"He could have gone away, a few days abroad or something, but he just wanted to spend a bit of time with his family."

The Spurs boss was refreshingly honest when asked if he was glad to be facing a United side minus Rooney.

"I'd be a liar if I said otherwise," he said. "I'd rather see Rooney's name not on the team-sheet any day of the week."