Rooney's Slippers To Blame?

Wayne Rooney was wearing Nike's 'Total 90 Supremacy' boot for the first time at Stamford Bridge on Saturday when he suffered the broken metatarsal.

The finger was pointed at the new-style boots which some people speculate are the major reason behind such a recent spate of metatarsal injuries.

Nike point out that of the series of England stars to be affected in recent years - including David Beckham, Gary Neville and Steven Gerrard - Rooney is the only one contracted to them.

And, at the high-profile launch of the 'Total 90 Supremacy' boot, which weighs in at a mere 10.5 ounces and features air technology specifically to cushion and protect the foot, boot developer Cedric Collet insisted there was no added risk to the safety of a player by the use of lighter micro-fibres in the boot construction rather than old-style leather.

Collet: 'Nothing occurred in any of our tests to indicate the player would be at any risk.

'The boot was specifically designed for Wayne and has incorporated three different types of protection for his foot. Every time we bring a boot out, the safety aspect is improved in some way.

'The boot is more durable and it keeps the shape around the player's foot. In some ways, I think these injuries are more linked to the speed the game is played at now.'

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