Rooney Happy Under Moyes Says Ferguson

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney says he has been enjoying a “new lease of life” under manager David Moyes.

The England international continued his impressive start in the ongoing season on Wednesday, leading United’s attack against Real Sociedad in their Champions League Week 9 victory in front of his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson and the new singing section at Old Trafford.

The New Singing Section at Old Trafford.
The New Singing Section at Old Trafford.

Rooney, 28, was prepared to leave the Premier League champions last summer after falling out of the pecking order in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season in charge.

The 71-year-old Scot’s book has made headlines in recent week. He wrote that Rooney lost his “old thrust” in his final season in charge because he was not fit enough.

The New Heads in Charge at Carrington.
The New Heads in Charge at Carrington.

“The new coaches have come in and it feels like a new lease of life,” Rooney said after the match.

“We are working to be successful as a team. We have a lot of players who are hungry. Results haven’t been what we want but we’re working to put that right.”

Ferguson reiterated his stance on the forward, who he said asked to leave the Premier League champions after last season’s triumph.

He claimed Rooney came into his office after the victory over Aston Villa and “asked away”, which the striker insists that was a different version of the much-publicised speculations in the summer.

“He’s come back and corrected the story that I put a transfer request in… he’s gone back and proven that I didn’t,” Rooney responded to his retired boss’ claims.

Wayne Rooney Says Moyes has Given Him a "New Lease of Life" at United.
Wayne Rooney Says Moyes has Given Him a “New Lease of Life” at United.

“He’s obviously got his own opinion. I’ve not seen him since he retired and I’m happy under the new management. The other stuff doesn’t concern me. That’s the past, I’m looking to the future now.”

Sociedad defender Inigo Martinez scored an own goal, after a superb Wayne Rooney shot rebounded off the post to helped the Premier League champions maintain a three-game winning streak in Europe.

“We should have won the game by three, four or five goals. But I am happy we got the win which was most important after Saturday (1-1 draw with Southampton).

“We got an early goal. We could have gone in at half-time 2-0 up and the game would have been more comfortable for us.

“But we didn’t and started the second-half a bit slow,” Rooney added.

Moyes and Rooney first worked together at Everton when the Englishman was sold to United in 2004 for £25m.

United have seven points from three Group A games in the Champions League after the 1-0 victory over Sociedad.