How Did Wayne Rooney React To Manchester United Omission?
On Saturday, Jose Mourinho made the incredibly hard decision to omit his captain Wayne Rooney from his Manchester United team. This was a decision that ultimately paid off for the Portuguese manager as United ran out 4-1 winners over the Premier League champions Leicester City.
But how did Wayne Rooney react to being dropped from the Manchester United team? Well, according to those in the Red Devils dressing room, Rooney was ever the professional and not only completely understood the decision but still managed to buoy up his teammates before they started the contest.
According to The Guardian, Jose Mourinho remarked after the match, “There is not a problem with Wayne Rooney. My captain is my captain whether he is on the pitch or at home. We won the game so he is happy.”
Chris Smalling, the Manchester United centre-back who was given the captain’s arm band because of Rooney’s absence, was just as adamant as Mourinho that Rooney wasn’t overtly downhearted by being dropped. Or at least didn’t show it off to his teammates.
Chris Smalling says Wayne Rooney is still Man Utds main man.https://t.co/XND16MyDXT #MUFC pic.twitter.com/7MPCDYu4kl
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) September 25, 2016
When asked if Rooney was down in the dressing room because he’d been dropped, Smalling declared, via the Guardian, “No. He was the same as [ever] before the game when we’re all getting ready. He is often one of the most vocal and he was the same.”
Smalling added, “Regardless of whatever the situation is, whatever game, whether he is on the bench or playing or whatever, he is always that same type of character and that’s why he is England’s main man and our main man.”
The defender insisted that Rooney was just as vocal before the match, even though he was starting on the bench, as he is when he is starting matches. And Smalling doesn’t expect Rooney’s influence to wane now that his place in Manchester United’s starting eleven isn’t as concrete.
“He had the same method,” the 26-year-old former Fulham player explained. “Even when there’s games – obviously we play League Cup and [Mourinho] changes the whole team, he’s still the same, in the changing room talking. That’s something that will never change with Wayne.”
But why exactly did Mourinho leave Rooney out of his team? Well, the Portuguese manager had a perfect reason, as he explained, “Because I know the rules of the game. You can only pick 11 men. If I leave out Rashford you ask me why. If I leave out Rooney you ask me why, but I cannot pick them all.”
“I have a squad of players and I thought the best option against a quick-breaking side like Leicester was to play with two fast players out wide with Juan Mata in the middle,” Mourinho continued.
Great team performance today and my first goal of the season! More of the same next week????????. @ManUtd #mufc pic.twitter.com/5ezrVxxt66
— Chris Smalling (@ChrisSmalling) September 24, 2016
Despite making a shaky start to their contest against Leicester City, Manchester United ultimately ran out comfortable 4-1 winners against the incumbent Premier League champions. Smalling himself opened up the scoring with a header from a Daley Blind corner in the 22nd minute, which then provoked United to create chances for Marcus Rashford, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Paul Pogba that they ultimately missed.
Juan Mata finally doubled Manchester United’s lead in the 37th minute with a sublime finish after wonderful build-up play, before Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba each added a goal in the next five minutes, once again from corners, to give United a 4-0 lead at half-time. Demarai Gray responded with a stunning long-range goal for Leicester City in the 59th minute, but United were still able to run out comfortable 4-1 winners.
[Featured Image by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images]
