Soccer

David Moyes reluctant to rest increasingly influential talisman Rooney

In-form England star has been a pivotal performer for Manchester United

David Moyes with Wayne Rooney. Photo: Martin Rickett/PA
Jamie Jackson
Sat Nov 30 2013 - 01:00

David Moyes believes Wayne Rooney may be able to play every game this season, though the Manchester United manager will monitor the striker to ensure he receives a break if required.

When fit Rooney has been chosen in every match this season, the striker scoring eight times in 17 games and being among United’s most potent creative forces, as he was again in the 5-0 midweek victory at Bayer Leverkusen.

Rooney will start again in tomorrow’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur, with Shinji Kagawa expected to continue at number 10 as Robin van Persie’s groin problem makes the Dutchman a doubt.


'Signs of a dip'
Regarding Rooney, Moyes said: "There will be times when we do have to look after him. At the moment he doesn't need it. But I will be looking for any signs of a dip. I look at a lot of other clubs and they have played their players continuously. It's just at United here we've got a squad, we can rotate them, we have got other options. So I think I'll try and just wait. If it doesn't come around, I don't need to and won't do it.

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“He is a boy who continually gets better in the games he plays,” said Moyes. “It doesn’t really seem to affect him in a way it does others . . I just want to make sure I keep him playing as well as he is doing.”

Moyes believes t the display offered by the Kagawa-Rooney pairing at Leverkusen means there is less pressure to bring back Van Persie early.

"I always thought we had other combinations that we could play," he said. "You'll very rarely go through a season without having injuries or suspensions and we had to make sure we had other solutions if it did happen."

Can cope
Moyes believes United can cope without Van Persie despite the Dutchman being such a pivotal figure in last season's title triumph.

“If we were without Robin at any point we needed to make sure we could come up with the goals and make sure it wasn’t just Robin,” he added.

The manager points to the need for more consistency.

“Yes, we have to get a better level of consistency. We have dropped some points we shouldn’t have done and we have to try to eradicate that.Guardian Service