With Manchester United’s 4-1 victory over Swansea today they sent a message to the rest of the Barclay’s Premier League. Wayne Rooney may not want to be there, but that didn’t hamper his play. Even though he began the match on the bench. And we didn’t see him for the entire first half. Oh, and he didn’t didn’t celebrate with his teammates either on their third goal of the match.
Look at this pic in the tweet from CNN’s Piers Morgan
This is why @WayneRooney will leave United in the next 14 days, and why Arsenal should break the bank for him > pic.twitter.com/ukYmmIrK5w
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) August 17, 2013
Robin Van Persie had the first goal of the David Moyes era. NBC Announcer Lee Dixon on Persie’s goal:
“That’s a great finish, but it is sloppy and it should have been cleared [by Swansea]. When the ball gets put into the box, they’ve got men back, they’re in decent position but the right fullback just drops off, played him onside and now they’re playing catch up. Flores misses his kick, and van Persie outstretches Williams and the ball is in the net.”
Then the other stryker, Danny Welbeck scored the second and game winning goal. Still, the story of the day was Wayne Rooney, and what will become of him. There’s still a couple weeks left in the transfer window.
Former English footballer Robbie Mustoe on Rooney: “It’s all business for Wayne Rooney. When he’s out there, he’s going to play the game, but we all know he doesn’t want to be at this football club. It’s just surprising me that he wants to leave. He’s at a great football club, he’s been there a long time, and has the potential to be a real legend at the club.”
Former Jamaican National Team Player Robbie Earle on Rooney: “Anyone who’s played or knows Wayne Rooney will tell you that this guy just loves playing football. It’s almost as if it’s in his DNA.”
Earle still thinks Wayne Rooney will be a Manchester United player at the end of the season.
Today was a really big for Manchester United. It puts them in good standing for the more difficult matches they’ve got coming up.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An analyst for 95.7 The Fan, he also writes on Chicago sports media for Chicago Now. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)