Will Rooney feature against West Ham? Louis Van Gaal to make a final call
Apr 14, 2016 at 3:27 AM
Manchester United travel to play West Ham at the Upton Park for FA Cup quarter-final replay tonight. The Red devils are looking for a trophy and it is their last chance to win a piece of silverware this season.
United’s skipper Wayne Rooney has been out for a month picking up a knee injury, is desperate to play tonight after playing for 60 minutes for the club’s under-21s on Monday, reports DailyStar.
With a Champions league spot still possible and six games left to play in the Premier League for United, it will be very unlikely of Louis Van Gaal to risk Wayne Rooney against West Ham as he is not ready yet. Rooney can be a key part of United and can make them qualify for the UCL too, so it is the Dutchman’s decision to make.
The West Ham boss Slaven Bilic thinks Rooney could destroy West Ham’s dream of an FA Cup win if he plays. The Hammers boss would have preferred Rooney on the bench as he thinks the player is a real threat and can be a match winner in any match.
Bilic said: “When teams are on a good run, they don’t change, but because they lost 3-0 against Spurs we really don’t know is going to play.
“Will it be Rooney from the start? Marouane Fellaini?
“We don’t know so it makes it harder for us. We won’t change the team because of them.
“I’m a massive Rooney fan since he stepped onto the pitch in an Everton shirt. I can’t talk about Jimmy Greaves or Bobby Charlton or Bobby Moore.
“But in my era Rooney is the best English player. I would rather he didn’t play – 70 per cent, 100 per cent fit, I would rather he watched the game.”
The Hammers boss clearly stated a trophy is worth way more than a race for fourth place. A Champions League spot is quite a possible place to grab for Bilic’s side but he believes his side are favourites for the FA cup and should win it. 14 games unbeaten at home, the in-form West Ham side will look set to unleash their Andy Carroll Saturday night’s hat-trick hero on United to do the same what they did to Arsenal this week.