Watch: Winston Reid leaves Wayne Rooney bloodied

Manchester United star Wayne Rooney will miss a chance to become his club's greatest ever goalscorer this weekend - no thanks to a kick in the face from All Whites captain Winston Reid.

A raised boot from Reid while trying to clear the ball during West Ham's 4-1 loss to United this morning drew blood from Rooney.

Reid had missed the 1-all draw between the two teams in the Premier League last weekend due to suspension and found himself in the thick of the action today in the English League Cup quarter final at Old Trafford.

The clash between Rooney and Reid came in the 75th-minute when the All White star's boot accidentally clipped Rooney in the face. Rooney left the field for treatment to a cut lip immediately after the incident before returning shortly afterwards.

The challenge that led to Wayne Rooney's bloodied cheek. Photo / AFP

The incident won't keep Rooney on the sideline. But a one-match suspension for a yellow card earlier in the game will. Rooney received the card after protesting the award of a free-kick against United too vigorously and will miss the Everton game on Monday morning NZ time as a result.

The England superstar recently became Manchester United's all-time leading scorer in Europe, as well as pushing his club tally to a within a single strike of Bobby Charlton's record of 249.

With Rooney starting the game as captain on 248 goals, the West Ham clash offered an ideal script to break the record. And while Rooney played well in pushing United into the last four of the EFL Cup, he will now have to look beyond the Everton match to break Carlton's record.

Two goals each to United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Anthony Martial gave the home team a comfortable win in the end.

Wayne Rooney, in particular, was exceptional and only a rush of blood that led to a booking - first a foul, then some very visible dissent - spoiled an otherwise impressive performance in his favoured number ten role.

He is suspended for the next match, so has no chance of equalling or breaking Sir Bobby Charlton's United goalscoring record at his spiritual home, Goodison Park. A pity: on this form United could do with him, no matter Mourinho's worries about his pace.