Rooney Still Key to United Hopes

Manchester United dropped their first points of the season on Saturday as an impeccable start to the 2011-12 Barclays Premier League campaign was halted by a 1-1 draw with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. It was a result which allowed city rivals Manchester City to rejoin United at the top of the table, with 16 points from the opening 6 league fixtures.

Now it is important to put the circumstances of the match into context. Stoke City are a very good team and will finish comfortably in the top half of the table this season. Tony Pulis has bought very well and the team is packed with experienced players and physical presence. Any team that comes away from the Britannia this season with three points will consider it a job well done.

Furthermore, Sir Alex Ferguson had to contend with a fair amount of disruption and had to rejuggle his Manchester United side on more than one ocassion. Firstly, Jonny Evans was injured in the warmup and then Mexican striker Javier Hernandez hobbled off after a collision with Amir Begovic.

With a first choice defense, United may not have conceded the equalising goal to Peter Crouch’s well timed header. With the threat of Hernandez up front instead of Michael Owen – who once again failed to build on Carling Cup optimism – United may found the killer touch to win the game. But it cannot be ignored that in the absence of Wayne Rooney, the football did not flow as it has done.

There may be more glamourus stars in the Barclays Premier League and Wayne Rooney shirts might not outsell the likes of Sergio Aguero and Luis Suarez, but there is no doubting that there is nobody more influential or important than the United talisman.

For all the likes of Ashley Young, Luis Nani and Hernandez contribute to United, it is Rooney who is at the heart of it all – both in scoring and creating goals – which has been key to United’s blistering form this season. Over the past few years, their best periods of form have co-incided with Rooney’s hot streaks and Sir Alex will be hoping the injury which sidelined him at Stoke will heal sooner rather than later.

With Wayne Rooney in form, Manchester United are capable of not only retaining the Premiership title, but also from wrestling the Champions Leaguy trophy from Barcelona. As good as the rest of the team are, with the strength in depth Man City have to offer, they are going to need him.

Written by Colin Hill, a sports blogger who writes about La Liga football shirts.

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2. Owen Brace Highlights United Strength in Depth
3. Rooney casts shadow over United win
4. Berbatov On Form as United Start Strongly
5. End of Story: Rooney stays at Manchester United (thus will not die)