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Rooney axed over Boxing Day night out: Ferguson fury as United star enjoys dinner with Coleen
By NICK HARRIS
Last updated at 9:16 PM on 31st December 2011
Wayne Rooney was sensationally axed from Manchester United’s squad for the Premier League match against Blackburn after a bust-up with manager Sir Alex Ferguson that throws the controversial striker’s Old Trafford future into doubt.
United crashed to a 3-2 home defeat by a team who had started the day bottom of the Premier League table after Rooney, 26, was dropped for what appears to have been the most innocuous of reasons — going out for a Boxing Day evening meal with his wife, Coleen.
Rooney’s team-mates, Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson, joined them, along with their respective partners, and the party of six dined in Manchester and celebrated United’s 5-0 win over Wigan earlier that day.
Split: Sir Alex Ferguson fumed at Wayne Rooney's Boxing Day meal
It is understood that Rooney, Evans and Gibson were overheard discussing the evening during training on Tuesday morning, saying what an enjoyable time they had had. Word of the night out reached Ferguson, who was 70 on Saturday, and the manager hauled Rooney into his office to voice his displeasure.
United, like all clubs, have strict rules about players’ behaviour and there appears to have been a massive gulf in perception over Monday night’s activities.
The trio of players were ordered to do extra training on Wednesday — their day off. Rooney was then told on Friday night that he would be dropped for the Rovers fixture. He has also been hit with a six- figure fine, which has left him bemused and furious at what he sees as a huge injustice.
While the rest of the United squad spent Saturday morning getting ready for the lunchtime kick-off against Rovers, Rooney, Evans and Gibson were told that they would be doing more extra training instead. Rooney later watched the game from the stands.
Rooney has always made it clear that he wants to play every match for United, even when selected out of position. But the astonishing developments of the past few days now throw his future at United back into doubt.
Signs of lingering tension in the Rooney-Ferguson relationship have resurfaced over the past few weeks, not least when Rooney made a joke about his boss at the club’s annual quiz.
A players’ team, including Rooney and Evans, beat a United staff team led by Ferguson. During a game of charades that formed part of the quiz, Rooney had to act out the film, Bend It Like Beckham, and mimed his former team-mate, David Beckham, having a boot kicked in his face by Ferguson, at whom Rooney also pointed.
Ryan Giggs correctly guessed the answer and when Ferguson realised he had been the butt of the joke, he is alleged to have said: ‘This is going to cost you!’
Rooney and Ferguson’s relationship looked shattered beyond repair 14 months ago after Rooney told the manager that he no longer wanted to play for United.
Rooney released a statement saying that his decision was based on ambition and it seemed a certainty that he would be leaving Old Trafford, quite possibly for rivals Manchester City, who at the time wanted to buy the England striker.
But within days Rooney had made a dramatic about-turn and swiftly agreed to a contract extension that tied him to the club until 2015.
The events of the past few days suggest, however, that there is lingering resentment between Ferguson and Rooney dating back to the stand-off in 2010 — and this now appears to have erupted in what could be a hugely damaging rift for Rooney and the club.
United had the chance to take a three-point lead at the top of the table yesterday but blew it when they crashed to Rovers, who were 20-1 outsiders to get the win at Old Trafford.
Rooney, Evans and Gibson were all involved in Monday’s 5-0 thrashing of Wigan. Gibson played the full game, Evans played the first half before being substituted and Rooney came on as a 64th-minute substitute for Giggs.
United’s next match is at Newcastle on Wednesday, by which time City, who face Sunderland today and Liverpool on Tuesday, could have taken a six-point lead in the title race.
United did not respond on Saturday night to questions about the Rooney-Ferguson bust-up.
