Wayne Rooney is to return to Manchester United without playing a game for England as Roy Hodgson does not want his captain to exacerbate an ankle complaint.

A month after becoming the country's all-time top scorer, the 29-year-old has not even been able to train with his international team-mates after collecting a knock in last weekend's defeat to Arsenal.

Rooney will miss tonight's Euro 2016 qualifier against Estonia as a result and Gary Cahill could again deputise as captain on Monday after Hodgson confirmed the striker would not travel to Lithuania.

"It is a disappointment for Wayne," the England manager said. "Wayne is not the type of person or type of player who likes to miss a game.

"Unfortunately, he received a knock playing against Arsenal fairly late on and we've been waiting for the ankle to sort of settle down.

"It is settling down very, very well but we don't to risk him tomorrow.

"He's got a lot of important Man United games ahead and I would be devastated if we pushed him out there and something happened to increase, if you like, the problem he has with the ankle.

"We decided that it is better that he doesn't play in this game."

Asked if the injury would also rule Rooney out of the trip to the Baltics, Hodgson said: "Obviously, yes.

"I mean, the important thing now is for Wayne to fully recover from this minor injury.

"I must emphasise it is actually a minor injury and he will be fully fit next time Manchester United play, Saturday week."

Rooney has a trip to boyhood club Everton upon returning to United, before a Champions League tie at CSKA Moscow and a derby encounter with Manchester City.

Before that, though, he will take to the field at Wembley to receive a golden boot from Sir Bobby Charlton, whose long-standing scoring record he broke with his penalty against Switzerland.

"During the time he was receiving treatment for the ankle injury, he has been very keen to stay with us, very keen to be part of our post-match meetings that we had in regards to the Switzerland game," Hodgson said.

"I am sure he is looking forward to tomorrow, when Sir Bobby Charlton will come and present him with his golden boot."