I’m sure for most of you at home watching, a third goal for yourself that meant a hatrick, a lead & a goal that went some way to securing a 19th league title would have been a splendid little triumph. Wayne Rooney scored the goal in question, but it wasn’t his side’s comeback from two goals down to beat West Ham 4-2 at Upton Park that made the headlines; his foul mouthed rant at a Sky TV camera was the alarming talking point. As he approached the away supporters who were in subsequent uproar after the comeback was complete, Rooney looked angry, relieved to be back in the goals but his crassly reaction was evidence that his boiled attitude can be a problem for him at times.
“He’s competitive, he’s aggressive, he’s a winner. You can’t take that away from him. You can’t change them too much.” McClaren is right, but Rooney has to continue to calm his attitude as he ages into what we hope will be a model professional. That would be some feat for Rooney who already has 70 caps for England at just 26 years of age, and maybe the two game ban that he has received from his outburst will discipline him for the future. The second game in the ban is the massive FA Cup semi final showdown at Wembley against rivals City, and Rooney will obviously be aggrieved by the ban. The FA’s action was described on the PFA’s website as ‘unprecedented’. They feared that if a ban wasn’t put into place, behaviour of the like would continue and that is the last thing the FA want in the game.
Manchester United are starting to show the form that has seen them win three of the last four league titles, Ferguson describing their second half performance at Upton Park as ‘Champions’. The Scot would have been further pleased to see Javier Hernandez (below) score near the conclusion. Staggeringly, the little Mexican has scored 10 goals from 15 SHOTS this season, and his work rate and effort are further attributes to suggest he is the long term solution to partner Rooney. This news won’t please Dimitar Berbatov, who despite being the leading goalscorer in the league this year with 20 goals is now a regular substitute at Old Trafford.
It is now a case of two completely opposing journeys for the clubs. While both managers are in the middle of their bans for slating referees, that is the sole thing Grant and Ferguson have in common. Ferguson is squeezing everything possible out of his side as Rooney returns to top form and they grab a stranglehold on first place, while Arsenal continue to slip up having drawn their last four games in the league. For Grant, his Hammers must forget how good United were in the second 45. They must themselves perform for 90 minutes in the more important games coming up against teams in and around them, for these will surely be the challenges that really decide their fate.