England - U.S. injury crisis; which country has it worse?

The good people of England woke up to this frightful headline in morning’s Sun: "Pray"

The Daily Mirror cleverly described the situation as: "In Rooins," and The Times summed it up as "England’s Worst Nightmare."

This apocalyptic agonizing is over Wayne Rooney’s injury, of course. The sensational England striker, who is having perhaps the greatest spring in the history of the world, limped out of the Allianz Arena yesterday. England fans fell over backward in fear and the English press went scrambling to fulfill its obligation for dramatic overstatement.

Yes, the injuries keep piling up for England as the sides' June 12 World Cup opener draws closer. Meanwhile, the United States may have weathered the worst of its medical crisis … although these things surely can change in a heartbeat. Here’s your quick refresher.

Chart explainer: Name, listed along with chances for return and importance to the squad, 3 being the highest and 1 being the lowest.

United States

Oguchi Onweyu … likely … 3

Benny Feilhaber … likely … 2

Stuart Holden … likely … 1

Ricardo Clark ... likely ... 1

Charlie Davies … questionable … 2

England

Wayne Rooney … likely … 3

David Beckham … out … 2

Ashley Cole … questionable … 2

Aaron Lennon … questionable … 2

Click forth for more from the English press ...

This from The Guardian sums up the history.

"Students of metatarsal breaks and will-he-won't-he-sagas were quick to add Rooney's pained reaction to the file of late-season calamities endured by senior England players. It took some of us back to an April day at Stamford Bridge in 2006 when the little terror pulled up lame in a United shirt and left the ground in tears. This time, he hobbled for a few paces before crumpling to the turf. After Olic had delivered his coup de grâce, Rooney was shoulder-carried from the field and tried unsuccessfully to plant his right foot before being lifted down the tunnel.

"The nation was gripped by foreboding. Surely not another vigil outside a physio's room? The lord spare us from another rushed recovery and an umpteenth listless talisman not being quite himself in a big World Cup tie. But there are domestic implications first. Unless Rooney was in some kind of physical shock that will have passed by morning, the eye says he will miss Saturday's Premier League smash-up with Chelsea at Old Trafford, a loss which could influence the direction of the title."