FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED midfielder Roy Keane has launched an attack on captain Wayne Rooney’s professionalism in the aftermath of Wednesday’s goalless draw with PSV.
Keane criticised Rooney’s “awful” Champions League performance at Old Trafford and questioned the United skipper’s responsibility for his involvement in a WWE event in Manchester earlier in November.
Rooney, who has struggled in front of goal this campaign, scoring just two goals in 11 Premier League appearances, was seen theatrically slapping a wrestler as part of a promotion.
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United are now in jeopardy of missing out on a place in the last 16 of the Champions League and must beat Group B table-toppers Wolfsburg in Germany next month to guarantee progression.
“It seemed a strange atmosphere at Old Trafford tonight, they lacked cutting edge,” Keane told ITV.
“You got the impression the players were waiting for something to happen, rather than going and making it happen.
“Wayne [Rooney] was on about lack of composure and quality, but I think he was as guilty as anybody. He needs to step up to the plate.
“You look at Wayne’s legacy at Old Trafford, it’s absolutely fantastic, his goals record is brilliant. But now he’s the captain there’s more responsibility and I think he’s got to do a lot more.
“I always question certain players what are they doing off the field. Last week I saw him slapping a wrestler and I’m thinking ‘why is he getting involved in all that nonsense?’ There’s no benefit to him. I’d have a look at that side of it.
“It’s certainly not helping him. I wouldn’t begrudge him going out and enjoying himself, but if you’re not at it yourself you’ve got to have a look and lead by example. He didn’t do that tonight. He doesn’t look sharp, he looks awful.
“Mentally he doesn’t look really sharp, physically he doesn’t look in great shape. He needs to have a look at himself.”
'He looked awful' - Keane believes Rooney needs to focus less on WWE, more on football
FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED midfielder Roy Keane has launched an attack on captain Wayne Rooney’s professionalism in the aftermath of Wednesday’s goalless draw with PSV.
Keane criticised Rooney’s “awful” Champions League performance at Old Trafford and questioned the United skipper’s responsibility for his involvement in a WWE event in Manchester earlier in November.
Rooney, who has struggled in front of goal this campaign, scoring just two goals in 11 Premier League appearances, was seen theatrically slapping a wrestler as part of a promotion.
United are now in jeopardy of missing out on a place in the last 16 of the Champions League and must beat Group B table-toppers Wolfsburg in Germany next month to guarantee progression.
“It seemed a strange atmosphere at Old Trafford tonight, they lacked cutting edge,” Keane told ITV.
“You got the impression the players were waiting for something to happen, rather than going and making it happen.
“Wayne [Rooney] was on about lack of composure and quality, but I think he was as guilty as anybody. He needs to step up to the plate.
“I always question certain players what are they doing off the field. Last week I saw him slapping a wrestler and I’m thinking ‘why is he getting involved in all that nonsense?’ There’s no benefit to him. I’d have a look at that side of it.
“It’s certainly not helping him. I wouldn’t begrudge him going out and enjoying himself, but if you’re not at it yourself you’ve got to have a look and lead by example. He didn’t do that tonight. He doesn’t look sharp, he looks awful.
“Mentally he doesn’t look really sharp, physically he doesn’t look in great shape. He needs to have a look at himself.”
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