Rooney will sit out Liverpool - Man United match due to psychological 'damage'
Wayne Rooney will continue to sit on the bench in the Liverpool - Man United match tonight. The reason: Jose Mourinho wants him to have time to recover from the recent psychological "injuries".
Man United may have to pay £26 million in compensation to RooneyNever been Pele, never Carrick, when his time is up he's just a reserve, Rooney!Free Rooney, Southgate!My opinion: If Rooney can read Paul Scholes...Only Mourinho can save RooneyRooney has been on the bench in the last three matches for Man United.
For England, the striker was booed by his own fans in the win over Malta, and then benched in the draw with Slovenia last weekend. And it would be a huge surprise if Mourinho starts Rooney in the hostile atmosphere at Anfield.
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| Rooney has been on the bench for three consecutive matches for Man United. |
In September, Mourinho suggested that criticism of Rooney's performance against Slovakia had contributed to his decline. "I think the public opinion has hurt him. We can't hurt him any more. It's time for Rooney to recover from what he's been through and the best place for him is to feel at home here," the Portuguese tactician said.
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| The same situation happened in the England team. |
However, Mourinho is hopeful Rooney will prove his critics wrong. “I’m not saying he’s at his lowest point. You can hurt me but you can’t break me. I think he’ll be the same.” Mourinho also said Rooney remains in his plans despite failing to score since the opening game of the season at Bournemouth and losing his No.10 spot to Juan Mata.
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| Expected lineup for Liverpool - Man United match |
Asked about his decision to bench Rooney for the games against Leicester, Zorya Luhansk and Stoke, Mourinho said: “It’s my job. It’s an option. He hasn’t lost his position. Not at all. For me, he’s the first option.” Mourinho also hinted at the possibility of deploying Rooney in midfield, stating: “He can play in any position, no problem.” This seems to contradict his pre-season statement that “For me, he will be a number nine, a number nine-and-a-half, a number 10, but never a number six or an eight.”
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| Rooney scored the decisive goal to help Man United beat Liverpool 1-0 in January |
Rooney scored a late winner as United beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in January, his first goal at Anfield since 2005. But Mourinho seemed unconcerned. “Historical records are not important. A game is an isolated event,” he said.
According to Thethaovanhoa
