Michael Carrick is backing team-mate Michael Owen to recover from yet more adversity after the striker picked up a groin injury in front of England manager Fabio Capello last night.
Owen limped off after just 20 minutes of Manchester United's 2-1 victory over German champions Wolfsburg at Old Trafford and has been ruled out for three weeks.
It was a bitter blow for the 29-year-old, with England's squad for the qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus due to be announced on Sunday.
Considering England have already reached South Africa 2010, it would have been the perfect time for Capello to take a look at Owen, who hasn't played under the Italian since March 2008.
But midfielder Carrick, who scored United's winner after Ryan Giggs cancelled out Edin Dzeko's opener, expects his team-mate to prove his character by fighting back from injury once more.
"It's not ideal for Michael but hopefully he won't be out for long and he'll be back scoring goals sooner rather than later," said Carrick, whose team have now won eight matches in a row in all competitions after their defeat by Burnley in August.
"He's had some bad luck and it's not easy for him but I'm sure he'll be back playing well."
Carrick did his own hopes of an international call-up no harm at all, curling home a spectacular winner from a Giggs lay-off in the 78th minute.
He has started only two League matches this season — the last time was in August — but insists he hasn't been knocking on Sir Alex Ferguson's door to complain.
He said: "You trust the manager. He knows exactly what he's doing when he picks the team and it's a long season. I'm aware of that."
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Giggs produced another impressive display last night as he scored his 150th goal for the club to make the score 1-1 after United went behind to a header from Dzeko in the 56th minute.
The winger said United are now determined to beat Sunderland on Saturday, to put pressure on Chelsea ahead of their meeting with Liverpool 24 hours later, before the international break.
Giggs said: "It's important to go into two weeks without any League football on top and if we put on a good performance against Sunderland like we did last night then I am sure that is what will happen."
