Man Utd have taken step towards winning formula – Rooney

Wayne Rooney believes that Mikel Arteta “panied” during Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat at home to Manchester United on Sunday.

After going ahead through a Lisandro Martinez own goal, strikes from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu put Arsenal behind with Arteta making a quadruple change just before the hour mark in an attempt to change the game.

This was to no avail though as despite a late equalizer from Mikel Merino, Matheus Cunha secured the three points for United with a sensational strike in the dying stages.

And forme r United and England forward Rooney was critical of Arsenal’s approach in their defeat and Arteta’s decision to make a host of alterations in the second half.

“I think there was a panic,” Rooney said.

“I think Arteta is brilliant and I’ve praised him a lot but I think he panicked after Man United went 2-1 up and to make four changes at once.

“I think he’s panicked and rushed those changes, rather than letting Arsenal try and get back into the game with the players they had on the pitch, and it didn’t pay off.

“You can see the closer it gets to the end of the season, it’s going to be a challenge, a real challenge, Arsenal in my opinion are still favorites to win the league but I don’t think they’re going to have it all their own way.”

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Arsenal have brought in the likes of Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke in forward positions in the last 12 months but Rooney does not believe Arteta’s big players have done enough this season.

Any team who’s top of the Premier League or trying to win the league, we used to have it at United, teams will sit back on you all the time, and make it difficult for you,” he said.

“That’s why your star players, they are the players who need to find space and these pockets of space and know how to play in those tight areas which I think Arsenal have struggled this season a little bit.

“Yes they have scored from a set-piece [against Man United] but that’s still part of the game, a big part of the game, I don’t think that’s an issue for them.”

Manchester United have taken a “step” towards getting the club back to where it was in their glory days, says former captain and record goalscorer Wayne Rooney.

On Sunday, United followed up their Manchester derby triumph over rivals City with a thrilling 3-2 win at Premier League leaders Arsenal to make it two wins out of two since Michael Carrick’s appointment as interim head coach on 13 January.

The outcome means United sit fourth in the table and well placed in the chase for a Champions League place next term.

However, it is the manner of both performances and the manner in which the club has operated behind the scenes since Carrick took the helm that has instilled hope United are heading in the right direction again.

“The change in Manchester United over a two-game period is unbelievable,” former England striker Rooney said on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, which you can now listen to on BBC Sounds.

“Michael and his coaches deserve a lot of praise for that.

“Just putting an attitude into the players and a focus, and a togetherness into them which, if we’re honest, we didn’t see under Ruben Amorim.

“Manchester United went there believing they could win the game. They didn’t create a whole lot of chances, but you always felt they had a good control of the game.

“Arsenal started well. And then when Manchester United went a goal down, the response was great.

“Manchester United deserved the win.”

A calmness about the place’
Rooney believes the actions of Carrick and his staff away from the first team have also contributed to the feeling the club is beginning to move back to what made them so successful in years gone by.

“There’s a calmness about the place,” Rooney added.

“I was watching the under-16s on Saturday morning and they were all there again. Michael Carrick was there, Steve Holland, Jason Wilcox, all the coaches were there and so on, which you’ve heard me talking about a lot, that connection with the academy.

“What I saw, not just from Michael, but the other coaches, Johnny Evans as well, is a real calmness and a belief.

“Michael told me how good the players were and he felt he had to stop the session early because they were that good and he wanted to bottle it up.

“And that’s proven today. An absolutely incredible performance.”

A jubilant away ending sang, presumably tongue in cheek, about winning the league and while that might be out of reach this season, winning the title was the norm under Sir Alex Ferguson.

United won 13 league titles with the Scot at the helm, with Rooney a key part of five of those success.

“You go back to the United DNA and United as a club and things you want to see,” he added.

“I was there for 13 years, so [there are] things you want to see at that football club which I haven’t seen there for a long time. And I thought it was absolutely genius.

“You’ve gotten all the coaching staff all there watching the under-18s play. And then again, on a Saturday morning, they’re all there watching the under-16s play after the training session.

“These are all things which used to happen in the past and it makes a big difference. In my eyes they have taken a step toward getting the club back a little bit closer to where they used to be when the club was successful.

“I know how Michael works and I knew what he could do with this team. I am really pleased with the start he has made because he and his coaches have been criticized as well and have gone and competed with the best teams in the league.”

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