/world sport
(CNN) -- Wayne Rooney could return to Manchester United's line-up for their vital Premier League game at home to West Ham on Saturday.
Rooney aggravated his hip problem in the 2-1 defeat by Chelsea last weekend.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson, still basking in his side's 1-0 win over Barcelona to reach the Champions League final, gave an upbeat assessment of Rooney's chances of playing at Old Trafford despite a troubling hip injury.
"He may have a chance for Saturday," said Ferguson. "We just canceled him out yesterday, he was in a lot of pain.
"It was his hip joint, he was never close to playing. It was out of the question. He will be a lot better in a few days and involved on Saturday somewhere along the line."
Rooney aggravated the injury in scoring United equalizer in Saturday's match against title rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Michael Ballack's late penalty ecured three points for Avram Grant's men, but United can re-establish a three-point lead with victory over the Hammers.
Chelsea, who face Liverpool in their Champions League semifinal second leg on Wednesday, do not play their Premier League game at Newcastle until Monday night.
Ferguson said that French international defender Patrick Evra, who was stretchered off in the closing moments of the win over Barcelona, was expected to recover, but Serbian Nemanja Vidic remains a doubt because of a facial injury sustained in a clash with Didier Droga on Saturday.
"Vidic is under the control of the doctor. He got a bit of concussion, so we have to be careful of that. He may have a chance for Saturday," he added. E-mail to a friend 
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