Van Gaal drops Rooney for crucial match against Stoke

In a surprising move, Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal dropped captain Wayne Rooney for his side’s crucial Premier League match at Stoke City on Saturday.

Updated on: Dec 26, 2015, 17:46:33 IST

AFP | By Anonymous

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

In a surprising move, Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal dropped captain Wayne Rooney for his side’s crucial Premier League match at Stoke City on Saturday.

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney warms up before the game against Stoke City. (Reuters Photo)

United manager Louis van Gaal is reported to be facing the sack after a run of six games without victory in all competitions and has described the trip to the Britannia Stadium as “must-win”.

Rooney, who has scored only two league goals this season, was the only change Van Gaal made to the team beaten 2-1 at home by Norwich City last weekend, with Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera replacing him.

In Rooney’s absence, French striker Anthony Martial looked likely to lead the line.

United went into the match in fifth place in the English top flight, nine points below leaders Leicester City.

Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Durand Cup Final Live. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.