Wayne Rooney returned to Manchester United’s starting line-up on Monday but failed to inconvenience his suitors Chelsea in a forgettable 0-0 Premier League draw at Old Trafford. Rooney has been the subject of two failed bids from Chelsea in recent weeks, but he was one of the few impressive players on a night when the season’s first major head-to-head clash failed to live up to its billing.
The England striker tested visiting goalkeeper Petr Cech on three occasions, while David Moyes, in his first home game as United manager, saw his side refused a second-half penalty following an apparent handball by Frank Lampard. Jose Mourinho provided a provocative touchline presence and was goaded throughout on his return to Old Trafford as Chelsea coach, but his team rarely threatened ahead of Friday’s UEFA Super Cup against Bayern Munich.
The point was enough to send Chelsea top of the nascent standings, but they have played a game more than the rest and United can draw level with them if they win at Liverpool on Sunday. Rooney’s inclusion in United’s starting XI, for the first time since April, caused the evening’s first ripple of excitement, but Mourinho’s team selection was every bit as eye-catching.
The Portuguese named a team without a recognised striker, deploying Andre Schuerrle up front ahead of Oscar, Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, and leaving Fernando Torres and Romelu Lukaku on the bench. Moyes acknowledged in his programme notes that he must prove he is ‘the right successor’ to Alex Ferguson, but the home fans showed their approval of his appointment with a banner reading ‘THE CHOSEN ONE’ that was displayed in the Stretford End.
He could not have picked a more high-profile opponent for his first turn in the Old Trafford dug-out, or a more glorious evening, but the fare on the newly laid pitch was disappointing. Twice, Oscar shot straight at United goalkeeper David de Gea, while United’s best chance of the first half saw Robin van Persie deceive half the stadium into thinking a goal had been scored with a snapshot that ruffled the side-netting. Rooney, for his part, looked determined to influence the game, despite Chelsea’s fans mischievously taking up their United counterparts’ chants of ‘Rooney!’ and pledging: ‘We’ll see you next week!’
<span lang="EN">Jose Mourinho calls on Rooney to decide on future
MANCHESTER: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho called on Wayne Rooney to decide in the next two days whether he wants to move to the London club or stay at Manchester United. ‘The person that starts the story has to finish the story,’ Mourinho said Monday after Chelsea’s 0-0 draw in the Premier League against a United side that contained Rooney.
Rooney indicated to United toward the end of last season that he wanted to leave, and the English champions have turned down two bids from Chelsea for the striker. United’s stance all summer has been that Rooney is not for sale. ‘If now he does not want to leave, we are out of the scene,’ Mourinho said, ‘but we need to know what is happening.’ ‘We are going to (sign) another player if he is not coming,’ added Mourinho, who has also been heavily linked with a move for Samuel Eto’o.