• FA Cup

Press are treating Rooney like Gascoigne - Fergie

ESPN staff
January 8, 2012
Wayne Rooney scored twice for Manchester United in their 3-2 victory over neighbours City © Getty Images
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Sir Alex Ferguson attempted to draw one final line under suggestions that Wayne Rooney will leave Manchester United on Sunday, although the Scot did warn Rooney to get used to negative stories being generated by the British media.

Speaking after United's 3-2 FA Cup victory over City at the Etihad Stadium, during which Rooney starred, Ferguson offered brief comment on the England international's future.

A report in the Independent claimed in the build-up to Sunday's match that a falling-out between player and manager would see Rooney leave Old Trafford. It was a story United immediately rubbished, and Ferguson put the situation to bed by insisting he does not want the striker to leave.

"There's absolutely no problem with Wayne," Ferguson said. "What Wayne has got to realise is the press have got another [Paul] Gascoigne and he's got to suffer with that.

''Wayne Rooney is a headline-maker, good or bad. It is the situation that existed many years ago with Paul Gascoigne. We have seen the good stuff today but any flaws will be absolutely annihilated by the press. That is what they are like. That is what we are dealing with. Today was a magnificent performance.

''There is no problem with the boy's temperament at all. It is just off-the-field he is going to be spotlighted all the time.''

Rooney, who scored twice on Sunday and kissed the United badge in celebration, also attempted to play down the inaccurate report.

"Everything that has been in the press of late is a load of nonsense really," Rooney said. "There is no problem for me at this club, I want to be at this club for a long time."

United appeared set to cruise past City when they took a 3-0 lead, with the hosts down to 10 men after Vincent Kompany's controversial sending off. However, they conceded twice in the second half to give City hope, and Ferguson was angry with the performance.

"I think we made them better than they were," he said. "We were just so careless in the second half. At 3-0 up at half-time they thought they were through and took their foot off the peddle. It was a careless performance, we should have been home and dry."

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