Rooney will sit out the 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 pounds in compensation to RooneyNever been Pele, not 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. 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 has hurt him. We cannot hurt him any more. It is time for Rooney to recover from what he has been through and the best position for him is to feel at home here," the Portuguese tactician declared.
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| The same situation happened in the England team. |
However, Mourinho still hopes 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 will be the same.” Mourinho also said Rooney remains in his plans despite not scoring a goal since the season opener 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 statement before the season that “For me, he will be a number 9, a number 9 and a half, a number 10, but never a number 6 or a number 8.”
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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 at Anfield since 2005. But Mourinho seemed unconcerned. “Historical records are not important. A game is an individual event,” he said.
According to Thethaovanhoa
