Hargreaves has only played three games for United this season

The Manchester United midfielder will be out of action for up to four weeks after having an injection to cure a tendonitis problem.

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson said: "That was an option we had from the very start if it surfaced again.

"He felt it in training so we decided to do something immediately."

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on Hargreave's absence

The news means that England coach Steve McClaren could stick with the central midfield partnership of Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry for the games on October 13 and 17.

McClaren is also monitoring injuries to captain John Terry (cheekbone) and striker Michael Owen (hernia). England will definitely be without Emile Heskey because of a broken metatarsal.

Hargreaves was expected to be back in United's squad for Tuesday's Champions League game against AS Roma before the tendonitis problem returned.

The former Bayern Munich player was troubled by the injury at the start of the season and did not play his first game for United until August 19.

And the 26-year-old managed just three games before sustaining a thigh injury in training with England ahead of their game against Israel on September 8.