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Much has been said about Sir Alex Ferguson’s dismay at the manner in which Manchester United surrendered the title last season and the anguish that filled his summer. But the United boss was not alone. Wayne Rooney felt pain of his own – in fact, given that he also had to sit out all but one of England’s Euro 2012 games, the striker may have faced even greater frustration. The new season was a long time coming.
But then Rooney was forced to deal with fresh issues as he missed a handful of games with a gashed leg suffered in just the second week of the season and more playing time due to an ankle knock. Meanwhile, new signing Robin van Persie was busy winning the hearts of Manchester United supporters with a string of outstanding performances, highlighted by a fine hat-trick at Southampton. While the two players have since shown just how well they play together, the Dutchman was quickly emerging in the “go-to-guy” role that had previously belonged to Rooney.
The combination of scrutiny and criticism would be a burden for any player. Rooney took a share of the blame for England’s exit at the hands of Italy, but few acknowledged that this was his first appearance of the tournament and that rust should be expected. His display at Goodison Park on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season was underwhelming, but he was not alone in that regard. At times, he is just an easy target.
Whether he would admit it or not, Rooney must have been craving his moment. And that came on Sunday, as Manchester United took a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a dramatic 3-2 victory over “noisy neighbours” Manchester City. Van Persie may have struck the stoppage time winner, but this win had Rooney’s fingerprints all over it.
After all, it was the England man, excelling in a traditional number 10 role, who fired the Red Devils into a two-goal lead. His second goal – a low sweeping finish from Rafael da Silva’s cutback – was particularly confidently taken. In the process, Rooney became the top derby day scorer in club history and the youngest man to net 150 Premier League goals. Not bad for a player that has been written off far too often in the past 12 months.
It is also worth noting the 27-year-old’s work rate which was sky high and enabled Ferguson to land on a 4-4-1-1 formation that both plugged holes in midfield and supported the ability to counter attack at will. Once liable to let him temper get the better of him in such heated contests, Rooney’s maturity shone through as United weathered the City comeback.
As for Van Persie snatching a chunk of the spotlight, Rooney has said all the right things, and Ferguson clearly sees their respective talents only as a positive. “There’s flexibility there and the right type of movement”, he said. “They also both have the courage to play in these positions. They’re both mobile players and good footballers with a great desire to play and win."
But the Manchester United boss is shrewd enough to know that Rooney needed a performance like Sunday’s to fully regain that feeling of being a team leader. It is not a question of pushing Van Persie aside but more a case of reminding himself that he is a match winner in his own right. It is their twin threat, above all else, that makes Manchester United favourites to bring the Premier League trophy back to Old Trafford in May.
Ominously, Ferguson believes that this is just the start of Rooney’s heroics. “It was great to see him score because knowing Wayne he’ll go on a run now – that’s the kind of player he’s always been”, the Scot explained. “He was terrific today. Two good finishes and good contributions.”
Make no mistake, this was a huge win for Ferguson’s men, giving them breathing space in pole position and extra belief after losing twice to Manchester City last season. Defensive fragility is still a concern, but away wins at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad Stadium speak volumes for their quality in the final third. Ferguson’s men scored three goals in both victories.
The festive season means the games will keep coming thick and fast but a pumped up, on song Rooney is just about the best Christmas gift for Manchester United supporters. After several seasons in Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow, Rooney has moved on from his sidekick role – he is a headliner. And Sunday provided a timely reminder.
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