EPL: Sulking Roon sours United's fine day

Manchester United were unexpectedly magnificent.

Robin van Persie's striking genius was made to measure and Danny Welbeck has the makings of a mature centreforward.

But Wayne Rooney was petulant and irritating. If his body language could be translated, he delivered a two-fingered V-sign to his club, manager and teammates.

He has tried to turn his back on United. But United won't play his petty games.

So he turned his back on his colleagues instead.

Rooney's scowling at the Liberty Stadium was intolerable for the casual observer on Sunday morning.

It didn't appear to be appreciated by his teammates either.

When the striker arrived at Swansea's ground, he scowled.

When United went 2-0 up through van Persie and Welbeck, he scowled from the bench. When he came on as a substitute and directly contributed to the pair each scoring a double, he did nothing.

He trudged back to the half-way line alone, cut adrift from his teammates' jubilant celebrations; God's lonely man. He never raced across to toast his goalscoring teammates.

No one offered Rooney a hand of gratitude for his goal assists.

A picture can paint a thousand words but this one painted just one, daubed in bright letters across the Liberty Stadium turf... unwanted.

Stay

Manager David Moyes and the United board might want him to stay or, more pertinently, they do not want him to join a title rival.

Had Paris Saint Germain waved enough petrodollars in the air, he'd already be gone.

But there were few good men in the same jersey willing to embrace him during or after the Red Devils' comfortable 4-1 victory. The striker may tyre of such second-guessing as he continues to supposedly suffer in silence.

It's true that he hasn't spoken publicly about his eagerness to end his torment of be ing paid £250,000 (SGD$500,000) a week to play for the world's most famous football club.

He leaves agent Paul Stretford, a deeply unpopular figure around Old Trafford, t o leak his bitterness all over the back pages. Perhaps he is suffering.

Perhaps he is lapsing into a tragic figure. Most tragedies descend into farce, but this i s farce spiralling towards a tragedy.

A sulking Rooney simply cannot - or refuses - to see what is self-evident for most in his profession.

And that is, when United click, they reach a rhythm that few can touch.

On paper against Swansea, their lineup was creaky, pedestrian, conservative and vulnerable. Moyes' men looked primed for an opening-day humbling to rival the Gunners in north London.

But, to stress a glaringly obvious point familiar to millions but oblivious to Rooney, this is Manchester United.

When these 11 men come together, they somehow conjure alchemy beyond their means, producing magic with a smallish box of tricks.

Unexpectedly, Welbeck and Ryan Giggs rose to the occasion - Giggs' lofted pass for the opener took the breath away - and van Persie lives in the occasion.

Four goals in a week is his reward for the professionalism that is not being emulated throughout the strikers' camp.

Moyes is fully aware that United are a couple of signings away from another parade through the Promised Land - and sources suggest they are coming - but even the gruff, Scottish pragmatist must have been privately moved by the resolve of his winning machine.

Like last season, United are making a little less go a long way - an injury to either RVP or Welbeck doesn't bear thinking about.

But the Red Devils' dogged pursuit of victory remains a priceless commodity that other clubs have yet to acquire.

Why can't Rooney recognise and appreciate United's most unique quality? He helped to define it. For almost a decade, he was the on-field CEO driving their business of winning.

His head has obviously been turned, by whom or why is no longer relevant, but he needs to get it turned back and remember what's in front of him - a committed, dedicated group serving a collective cause; qualities he didn't appear to share at Swansea. Rooney is clearly troubled and distracted.

But he must recalibrate quickly or risk the wrath of an extraordinarily loyal support base.

Warm reception

The United faithful cheered his secondhalf introduction. The warm reception for a man who is desperate to flee Old Trafford was surprising.

There were no jeers and his goal assists were rewarded with an ovation.

But Rooney never reciprocated. There was no acknowledgement of the fans and little interaction with teammates.

His relationship with supporters remains fragile and wounds need time to heal inside the dressing room.

Only Rooney can make amends. The scowling and the one-man act do him no favours.

He should be better than that. His teammates and supporters certainly were.

In their opening game, United reminded Rooney of what they represent, what they offer and what he risks leaving behind. Hopefully, he paid attention.

But it's hard to see straight when you're scowling.

npsports@sph.com.sg

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