Rashford Breaks Rooney"s England Record

Marcus Rashford became England’s youngest player at a European Championship on Thursday when he broke Wayne Rooney’s record with his substitute appearance in the 2-1 win over Wales.

The teenage Manchester United striker was introduced on 73 minutes of the dramatic Group B encounter in France at the age of 18 years and 228 days – four days younger than his club and international captain Rooney was when he registered his first competition outing at Euro 2004.

After Gareth Bale had opened the scoring for Wales, England later sealed three important points thanks to second-half goals from Rashford’s fellow substitutes Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge.

Speaking after the final whistle, Rooney spoke to the BBC about Rashford’s impressive cameo performance and his Old Trafford team-mate breaking his own long-standing international record.

“He will be delighted,” he said. “I haven’t actually seen the players yet because I have been drug tested, so I am not allowed in the dressing room, but I am sure he is delighted and I am really pleased for him.

“I saw today that it was 112 days ago that he made his debut for Man United and he is now playing on the biggest stage for England. It is a great story and we are all pleased for him.”

On the game itself, which saw England come from behind to win with Rooney producing an influential midfield display, the captain was relieved and felt the Three Lions deserved the result.

“In the first half I think we did OK actually but we just had to move the ball quicker,” he said. “Unfortunately we went 1-0 down and in the second half the manager made some positive changes. It paid off for us. I thought we were fantastic in the second half. We moved the ball and made Wales work hard.

“We kept the ball, kept probing and got the win in the end. We showed a lot of character today and I am sure everyone in the dressing room will be delighted.

“I think we know as a group of players that we are not just an 11-man team; we have got 23 players in our squad who can all play, are all confident and all trust each other to know that whoever is playing will do a good job. It showed today what a good squad we have got with some very exciting players.

“We played some great stuff and it is a great feeling to win the game in the way we did. That will almost qualify us with one game to go and we will have to finish the job off on Monday.”

Manutd

Rashford Breaks Rooney"s England Record

Rooney Is England"s Best - Mourinho

New Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has hailed Wayne Rooney as “England’s best player for over a decade” ahead of the striker’s testimonial against Everton.

United will face Rooney’s former club at Old Trafford on August 3 – in what will be their first home pre-season fixture in two years and Mourinho’s first in charge – with all proceeds going to charity.

Rooney has been rewarded after 12 years with the club following a £20m move from Goodison Park in 2004.

And Mourinho said: “Wayne is and has been England’s best player for over a decade and this game will be a fitting tribute to everything he has achieved.

“I’m looking forward to what will be a very special night for us both. I’m sure the fans will make this a memorable occasion and help Wayne to raise a lot of money to help support vulnerable children.”

The match will mark the beginning of a year of fundraising events by the new Wayne Rooney Foundation, aimed at raising £5m for disadvantaged and vulnerable children.

The cash raised will be distributed to the NSPCC, Claire House Children’s Hospice, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Manchester United Foundation.

Rooney said: “For me there could not be a more special Testimonial match. Manchester United and Everton are the only clubs I have played for as a professional footballer.

“I am happy to say now that, whatever may happen in the future, I will never play for another Premier League club.

“I owe United and Everton everything for giving me my footballing opportunities. Through the Wayne Rooney Foundation I want to put something back and, at the same time, say a heartfelt thanks to everyone at these great clubs who ever helped me in my career.

“Everton and United, along with my family, gave me the support and opportunity to help me achieve my goals and dreams.

“Having a young family of my own makes me realise it’s vital that every child gets the opportunity to grow up surrounded by love and support to give them a chance of fulfilling their potential.

“I hope The Wayne Rooney Foundation and its charity partners can improve and inspire the lives of children disadvantaged by family breakdown, abuse, health issues or lack of educational opportunities.”

SKYSPORTS

Rooney Is England"s Best - Mourinho

Rooney Excited By Mourinho Arrival

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is excited by the appointment of Jose Mourinho and is looking forward to working with the new manager at the start of 2016/17.

Mourinho was announced as United’s new manager on Friday morning and visited the Aon Training Complex on Monday, where he met club legend Sir Bobby Charlton and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

The 53-year-old arrives at Old Trafford with an enormous pedigree, having won 22 major team honours in four different countries, and Rooney is eagerly anticipating what lies ahead for the Reds.

Speaking at a news conference ahead of England’s Euro 2016 warm-up match against Portugal on Thursday night, Rooney said: “He’s one of the best managers in the world. It’s an exciting time for Manchester United.

“He knows the Premier League very well and I’m looking forward to it [working with Mourinho].”

For now, Rooney’s focus is on international matters as he looks to captain England to Euro 2016 glory in France. The forward is one of three Reds in Roy Hodgson’s squad, alongside Chris Smalling and Marcus Rashford, with the team kicking off their campaign against Russia on 11 June in Marseille.

“It’s a proud moment to captain the team heading into a tournament,” said Rooney. “It’s a young squad but it has got a lot of quality. I’m injury-free, whereas in a lot of tournaments I’ve had little niggles. I’m happy with my fitness and form.”

Rooney scored England’s second goal in Friday’s friendly win over Australia, after Rashford had netted barely two minutes into his senior international debut to continue his remarkable rise, with confirmation of the 19-year-old’s place in England’s tournament squad coming only 96 days after his senior United debut.

“The way Marcus took to coming into the Manchester United team and the way he’s performed from when he’s come in until the end of the season has been incredible,” Rooney continued. “He’s certainly showed what he can do in his first game for England, getting his first goal in the first couple of minutes.

“I think what’s pleasing about him is his attitude. It’s first class and that’s shown around the hotel and on the training pitch and he deserves it. He could be a real positive for us.”

Hodgson added: “Rashford’s had that fantastic end to the season and he’s a very interesting player. He has special qualities and I think that’s been recognised by everybody – and it will be very interesting to see in a squad of 23 whether or not he can bring those qualities to bear at an even higher level.”

MANU FC

Rooney Excited By Mourinho Arrival

EPL: Arsenal Beat New Castle To Go Two Points Clear, United Win At Last

Laurent Koscielny scored as Arsenal edged Newcastle United 1-0 on Saturday to pull two points clear of Leicester City at the top of the Premier League table.

Koscielny stabbed home a flick-on from France teammate Olivier Giroud in the 72nd minute at a rain-lashed Emirates Stadium and Leicester were held 0-0 by Bournemouth, with Riyad Mahrez squandering a penalty.

“We were not at our best, but we had to dig deep and we can do that when needed,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

Manchester City, third, can close to within a point of Leicester if they win at Watford later on Saturday. Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney scored as Manchester United ended an eight-game winless run by beating Swansea City 2-1.

Arsenal were bidding to build on the 2-0 win over Bournemouth that had sent them top of the table on goal difference, but Newcastle went close to going ahead several times.

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech had to produce smart saves to thwart Georginio Wijnaldum either side of halftime, while Aleksandar Mitrovic diverted a volleyed cross from Ayoze Perez over the bar from close range.

With the home fans growing restless, Koscielny supplied the breakthrough 18 minutes from time, sneaking in behind Perez to toe the ball past Rob Elliot after Giroud had got his head to a high ball.

“It was about solidarity, tired legs and taking a chance from a set-piece,” Wenger added.

“We were not at our best today, but over Christmas in four games we took nine points so we can look back and say we did 75 percent of our job as we lost at Southampton.”

Leicester have now gone three league games without winning or scoring after their stalemate against 10-man Bournemouth at the King Power Stadium.

Jamie Vardy hit the post in the first half and was then fouled by Simon Francis in an incident that saw the Bournemouth defender sent off and yielded Leicester’s 60th-minute penalty.

For once this season Mahrez’s radar betrayed him, the Algerian’s penalty parried by Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

However, Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri was eager to underline the positives, pointing out that his side have now reached the 40-point mark usually required to avoid relegation.

“A draw is not OK, it is only one point, but it is OK as we have 40 points, which was the goal,” said the Italian. “It’s champagne for my players!”

ROONEY MILESTONE

At Old Trafford, Rooney scored a milestone winner against Swansea, which made him the second-highest outright goal-scorer in both Premier League (188 goals) and United (238) history.

Anthony Martial headed United in front from Ashley Young’s right-wing cross early in the second half, only for Gylfi Sigurdsson to head Swansea level in the 70th minute from a Modou Barrow cross.

But Rooney converted a cut-back from Martial with a sumptuous near-post back-heel 13 minutes from time as United claimed a first win in seven league games to further ease the pressure on manager Louis van Gaal.

“I am very happy for the players because they had to play under big pressure and now we have won,” Van Gaal told the BBC.

“I hope this is a fantastic starting point for us in the New Year and we can continue against Sheffield United (in the FA Cup).”

The result lifted United to fifth place, two points below Tottenham Hotspur, who visit Everton on Sunday.

West Ham United are a point back in sixth after Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll scored headed goals in a 2-0 home win over Liverpool.

Aston Villa spurned another chance to close on safety after losing 3-1 at second-bottom Sunderland, with Jermain Defoe scoring twice to leave Remi Garde’s side seven points adrift at the foot of the table.

Patrick van Aanholt put Sunderland in front with a deflected effort and Villa were momentarily level courtesy of a brilliant Carles Gil volley in the 63rd minute, only for Defoe to net twice in the last 18 minutes.

“It’s a great relief,” said Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce, whose side closed to within four points of safety.

“Hopefully it will give us confidence going forward. We’re still very much in trouble, but this win was critical.”

Jonny Evans’s stoppage-time goal earned West Bromwich Albion a last-gasp 2-1 win over Stoke City, who had Geoff Cameron sent off after an altercation with Claudio Yacob.

Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama was dismissed as Southampton went down 1-0 at Norwich City, where Alexander Tettey scored a 76th-minute winner.

© AFP

EPL: Arsenal Beat New Castle To Go Two Points Clear, United Win At Last

"We"re Trying To Save Our Manager"s Job" United Captain Wayne Rooney

As pressure mounts on Louis van Gaal’s position at Manchester United, Wayne Rooney insists players are still fighting for the manager to turn their season around.

United have failed to win their last six games in all competitions, which have included crashing out of the Champions League at the group stage and slipping out of the Premier League top four, while the Dutchman has been criticised for a lacklustre style of play.

The 69-year-old cut a press conference short on Wednesday following suggestions that sacked Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is being lined up as his replacement, but Rooney is adamant that players are still behind Van Gaal.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the United captain said: ‘In the last few weeks results haven’t been great for us and its been frustrating as a player to deal with. We have to be strong and stay together to get the results that we need.

‘Obviously, there are a lot of people talking about things they believe are happening when in reality people writing that stuff and don’t really know what’s happening.

‘We are working hard, we are fighting for the manager to try and turn the season around. It’s important we all stick together.’

 

"We"re Trying To Save Our Manager"s Job" United Captain Wayne Rooney