Rooney's temperament under scrutiny as ManUtd draw at Everton
Monday, 27 October 2008
LIVERPOOL, Oct 26 (AFP): Wayne Rooney's temperament is once again under scrutiny after Sir Alex Ferguson revealed he withdrew the striker during Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Everton because he feared the player would be dismissed.
Rooney was booked on his return to his former club in the 69th minute for a foul on Mikel Arteta and reacted to goading from the Goodison Park crowd by kissing the badge on his United shirt and pointing a finger in the air.
Less than two minutes later United manager Ferguson intervened, substituting the forward for Nani because of concerns he would earn a red card from referee Alan Wiley.
Rooney was replaced just eight minutes after Marouane Fellaini had equalised for Everton, cancelling out Darren Fletcher's 22nd-minute opening goal.
"I don't know why he got booked," Ferguson said of Rooney. "And the way the referee was behaving I feared he would get sent off. The way the crowd was reacting was having an effect on things.
"So I had to take him off in case he got sent off."
Ferguson was unhappy with Wiley's handling of a game that threatened to boil over after Everton captain Phil Neville's crunching tackle on Cristiano Ronaldo that was punished with a yellow card,
"It was like Australian Rules football and the referee didn't give us enough protection. It was the speed of the challenges that were the problem."
But Everton manager David Moyes disagreed, saying: "Phil Neville's tackle is a fantastic tackle, it really is. It was an outstanding tackle, it's a full boot on the ball and there's no way that is a booking or a foul.
"Maybe the United players reacted because they thought it was bad tackle. I thought it must have been a foul by their reaction. But I've seen it again."
A solitary point meant United missed out on the chance to reduce the gap between themselves and joint leaders Chelsea and Liverpool to three points just a day before the top two were due to face each other at Stamford Bridge.
And it also left them in the extraordinary position of being five points behind Hull after the Premier League new boys' 3-0 win away to West Brom.
"We had some good chances, played some fantastic football but at the end, I don't think we capitalised on that," Ferguson admitted. "This was two points dropped."
Everton had taken just one point from their four home league games this season before the visit of United. But an optimistic Moyes said: "I hope this can help our season. To get a point against Manchester United is as good as a win because of the way we have been playing.”
Rooney was booked on his return to his former club in the 69th minute for a foul on Mikel Arteta and reacted to goading from the Goodison Park crowd by kissing the badge on his United shirt and pointing a finger in the air.
Less than two minutes later United manager Ferguson intervened, substituting the forward for Nani because of concerns he would earn a red card from referee Alan Wiley.
Rooney was replaced just eight minutes after Marouane Fellaini had equalised for Everton, cancelling out Darren Fletcher's 22nd-minute opening goal.
"I don't know why he got booked," Ferguson said of Rooney. "And the way the referee was behaving I feared he would get sent off. The way the crowd was reacting was having an effect on things.
"So I had to take him off in case he got sent off."
Ferguson was unhappy with Wiley's handling of a game that threatened to boil over after Everton captain Phil Neville's crunching tackle on Cristiano Ronaldo that was punished with a yellow card,
"It was like Australian Rules football and the referee didn't give us enough protection. It was the speed of the challenges that were the problem."
But Everton manager David Moyes disagreed, saying: "Phil Neville's tackle is a fantastic tackle, it really is. It was an outstanding tackle, it's a full boot on the ball and there's no way that is a booking or a foul.
"Maybe the United players reacted because they thought it was bad tackle. I thought it must have been a foul by their reaction. But I've seen it again."
A solitary point meant United missed out on the chance to reduce the gap between themselves and joint leaders Chelsea and Liverpool to three points just a day before the top two were due to face each other at Stamford Bridge.
And it also left them in the extraordinary position of being five points behind Hull after the Premier League new boys' 3-0 win away to West Brom.
"We had some good chances, played some fantastic football but at the end, I don't think we capitalised on that," Ferguson admitted. "This was two points dropped."
Everton had taken just one point from their four home league games this season before the visit of United. But an optimistic Moyes said: "I hope this can help our season. To get a point against Manchester United is as good as a win because of the way we have been playing.”