Wayne Rooney backs Manchester United for top four after Sunderland win
Saturday 28 February 2015 20:10, UK
Wayne Rooney has backed Manchester United to finish in the Premier League’s top four after their 2-0 win over Sunderland.
Rooney scored his first goal in nine league games and then grabbed his first from open play in 2015 as his double lifted United back into third in the table, two points ahead of Arsenal and four ahead of Southampton in fifth.
However, Rooney wants his side to focus on themselves as they look to return to the Champions League next season.
“There are a lot of teams in a good run of form and there are not many points between four or five teams,” he told Sky Sports.
“We have to concentrate on ourselves, pick up points and hopefully come May we’re in the right position.”
Trending
- World Darts Championship: Clemens, Lukeman in action on day five LIVE!
- Transfer Centre LIVE! 'Saudi could offer Rashford way out of Man Utd'
- Five years of Arteta: Arsenal transformed but what's next?
- The Friedkin Group complete Everton takeover
- World Darts Championship schedule: Smith in action on Thursday
- Lawson confirmed as Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate for 2025
- Usyk vs Fury 2: Start time, ring walks, undercard and odds
- Celtic consider move to re-sign Arsenal left-back Tierney
- Nunez and Elliott strike as Liverpool battle past Southampton
- Papers: Gravenberch set to stay at Liverpool amid Real Madrid links
Louis van Gaal’s side bounced back from defeat at Swansea last week in perfect style at Old Trafford and Rooney was full of praise for his teammates in grinding out a win against a stubborn Sunderland side.
He added: “It’s great to score, obviously, but the three points are more important.
“After last week’s defeat, it was important we came back with a good performance and a good result.
“Sunderland made it difficult at times with a lot of men behind the ball but we were patient. We moved the ball well and created chances so I think we deserved the three points.
“We knew that was the way they were going to play. They’ve been to other big teams this season and done well. They did the same, defending well and hitting on the break.
“But we were patient and when they did win the ball our defence was pushed right up, won the ball back quickly and then we could attack again. It was a good performance but more importantly a good three points.
“We got a bit more space when they went down to 10 men which is normal but before that we were the better team.
“We should have been ahead but we kept going. It might have taken to the last five minutes to beat them because they defended very well but we kept moving it and deserved the victory.”
