Sports

Mourinho reveals why he left out Rooney in Arsenal clash

Published

7 years ago

November 21, 2016

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has revealed why he left Wayne Rooney out of the starting team to face Arsenal, saying it’s because of his lack of pace compared to his other striking options.

Though Rooney came off the bench in the second half of Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, the United boss fielded Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial in his starting XI against the Gunners.

Mourinho said he left Rooney t not because of the England captain’s off-field controversy, but because he felt raw pace was most likely to trouble Arsenal’s back four.

“I thought we were going to have the ball,” Mourinho told national newspapers. “Arsenal are a team who let the opponents play.

“I thought we would have space and the ball would arrive quite easily to the attacking players.

“I believed ones like Mata, Martial and Rashford were faster than Wayne, better attacking opponents one to one in the last line. I thought it was the best option,” he stated.

Rooney had had a difficult week after he was pictured in a drunken state at the England team hotel after the World Cup qualifying win over Scotland, and many had thought that the Reds Manager must have left him out of his starting XI due to the scandal, but the Manager made his reason clear on Sunday.
By Ben Fidelis…

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now