Wayne Rooney proved the doubters wrong with a majestic performance on the bench as Manchester United thrashed champions Leicester City 4-1 on Saturday.
The United captain’s role has evolved vastly over the last few years from striker to deep-lying forward, to winger, to even deeper-lying forward, and now Rooney is being utilised in a new even deeper position seated around five years from the playing surface.
While many have questioned how useful the England man can be from a seat next to the pitch, coach Jose Mourinho has seen enough to suggest the 30-year-old could contribute just as much from there as he was on the field of play.
“It’s the logical next progression for Wayne as a player,” Mourinho told FourFourTwo.
“While it may seem like a big change for him, he will still get the chance to do what he has been doing best, looking haggard and confused and gesturing in despair at the fickle whims of Fortune’s Wheel. But he can do it while seated.
“Against Leicester he really came into his own, giving Rashford the space to show what he can do by vacating the pitch entirely. After the 83rd minute or so he stopped having the impact we would want from him, but I think he showed real promise earlier on.
“I think Wayne will come to enjoy the convenience of doing his job from a padded seat and it could even help extend his career for another few futile, depressing years until he has to move to some sort of bed.”
Free spirit
Rooney’s team-mates have immediately seen a new lease of life from the England star, who looked liberated by his free role at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
“Without the responsibility of having to drop back 60 yards to make a frustrated lunge on an opposition striker, Wayne could focus more on the game,” Michael Carrick told FourFourTwo.
“The game and chewing gum. Although, that said, he did have to stop chewing each time he wanted to watch the action and vice versa, which did take its toll after a while.”
Pundits have suggested that Mourinho may choose to retreat Rooney even further to around the halfway line, just below the directors’ box, or employ him much further out in MLS.
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