• Premier League

De Gea: United will cope without Rooney

ESPN staff
September 30, 2014
How much will Rooney's red card cost United?

David De Gea says Manchester United will cope without captain Wayne Rooney while the striker serves his three-match suspension.

Rooney will be unavailable to United for the whole of October after getting sent off for a wild kick at Stewart Downing in Saturday's 2-1 win against West Ham.

Wayne Rooney was sent off for a wild kick on Stewart Downing © Getty Images
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With the 28-year-old sitting out the games against Everton, West Brom and Chelsea, Juan Mata could return to the team having been an unused substitute at Old Trafford on Saturday.

"Of course he's [Rooney] a really important player for us and he's the captain, but we have other players ready to play these games," De Gea told reporters.

"We have a very important game on Sunday. We won very important points against West Ham with 10 players in a difficult match and if we win against Everton we'll be in a good position in the table.

"Of course it was a red card, but Wayne is a top player and I think he has to keep going."

Darrem Fletcher, who was named vice-captain by Louis van Gaal at the start of the season, is next in line to take the United armband.

However, he has had to settle for a place on the bench for United's last three games following the arrival of Daley Blind on deadline day, but De Gea is backing him to shine if he is called upon.

"Darren Fletcher is the next captain and I think he will be a great captain," De Gea added.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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