The diminishing number of Manchester United fans who retain faith in Wayne Rooney’s ability understood why he kept his place in the side he captains for the Manchester derby.
Rooney, who turned 30 on Sunday, has scored 11 goals in the fixture, more than any other player, but, sadly, the finest English footballer of his generation does not look like the player he was. Rooney may be United’s top goalscorer this season with six, but half of those goals came against a weak Belgian side. Nobody pretends he is even close to his best.
Besides, he has scored only two in the nine league matches he has started, an insufficient return for United’s highest-paid player, one who has the most responsibility.
Others who have performed better have been dropped, but one of Rooney’s privileges as captain is that he plays. That is not written into his lavish contract, which makes it almost impossible for United to sell him without taking a hit, but Rooney knows he will be dropped if his mediocre form continues, knows he is not indispensable.
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Louis van Gaal likes him as a person, a captain and as someone who follows his detailed instructions, but Rooney is also supposed to change games, to provide more of the magic moments that he has previously done in a stellar 14-year career.
He is one of the top five best-paid footballers in the world, but he is not close to troubling a world XI at present.
The cover of the new United We Stand fanzine on sale outside before the game carries a caricature of Rooney as a boxer who had been bloodied and bruised complete with the Jack Dempsey line “A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t”. United fans want him to be a champion again and while Rooney did get bloodied courtesy of an accidental clash between the back of his head and Vincent Kompany which required stitches pitchside, he struggled to get up and influence the game.
Rooney has been replaced by Anthony Martial as United’s key threat, the man who gets fans on the edge of their seats. He was chided by the 3,000 travelling City fans who sang: “Once a Blue, always a Blue” and the lifelong Evertonian may be more effective back at Goodison.
Not that Everton, nor any other club, could or would pay Rooney’s current wages from a five-and-a-half-year contract only signed last February.
Rooney does not lack effort and could argue that he is exposed playing alone up front without a foil, but his touch and spark have deserted him.
He toiled, defended with maturity and enjoyed occasional moments – a reverse flick to Bastian Schweinsteiger or when he left Bacary Sagna trailing in the first half – but it wasn’t sufficient.
Van Gaal told his players at half time that they could shoot from outside the box and try their luck, but little changed.
Rather than instigating, Rooney was a bystander in the few chances created by United. After 70 minutes, Martial stole forward to an accompanying roar and played the ball to Rooney, who had made an intelligent run behind Nicholas Otamendi. The Rooney of old would have forced a shot on goal, the Rooney of today tried an unsuccessful pass to substitute Jesse Lingaard. It was Lingaard who came closest to scoring as he delicately diverted a Martial ball onto Joe Hart’s crossbar with seven minutes remaining.
Rooney’s performance was later put to his irritated manager, who replied: “So I have to talk every week about Rooney, why? I’m sick of being asked about Rooney.”
At the final whistle, Rooney embraced Otamendi and Vincent Kompany, the two men who had kept him quiet at Old Trafford. Rooney then made sure that he and his teammates applauded the home fans.
He is a fine captain. Fans hope he will become a fine footballer again.
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