Man United contract rebel, Wayne Rooney, proves his worth with CL masterclass

Manchester United sealed their spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League in style on Wednesday night, producing a clinical display that stunned the home crowd in Leverkusen.

A game which was touted as a tough test for Moyes’ men turned into one of their most impressive results of the season, thanks in no small part to their bullish centre-forward Wayne Rooney.

It was far from a one-man performance, though, with the likes of Ryan Giggs putting in a stellar performance and Jonny Evans making a fantastic block while the scores were still level. The spotlight, however, will be on Rooney who has continuously been the difference for United this season and inspired their victory on Wednesday evening.

Rooney’s form is a far cry from the negative vibes he was giving the club at the start of the season, and is arguably the key man at Old Trafford right now. His return to the main striker role due to the absence of Robin van Persie, has seen him lead the line for United impressing with his usual blend of swashbuckling energy and grace on the ball. Despite not getting his name on the scoresheet during the rout, the No. 10 played a part in four of the goals and was a constant attacking threat for his side.

United got the ball rolling when a quick counter attack saw Rooney pick the ball up on the left flank before putting a dangerous cross towards the back post for Antonio Valencia to prod home the opening goal and then delivered the free kick for the second, which was headed into his own goal by the unfortunate Emir Spahi?.

The 28-year-old’s best chance of finding the net came on 65 minutes, but his close range shot was saved by Bernd Leno – only for Evans to stab home the rebound. Rooney’s final telling contribution in the penalty area was a lofted pass over Leno, or perhaps a slightly under hit shot, which fell invitingly for Chris Smalling to tap home. Four goals, four big Rooney contributions showing exactly what he offers when on song.

By the time United knocked in their fifth, Rooney had already been substituted. The England international was given a deserved rest in preparation for the game against Spurs, allowing Nani a spell up-top and the erratic winger completed the rout with 2 minutes to go as he ran through on goal before delightfully lifting the ball over the onrushing Leno.

Rooney’s movement, willingness to work for the team and ability to create space for others is often what makes him such a dangerous player for the opposition to deal with. His ability to drop deep into the midfield and carry the ball from his own half, coupled with his set piece ability, was vital to United’s dominance in the BayArena.

His action areas map shows that he rarely picked up the ball inside the Leverkusen penalty area and yet he still managed to pose a huge threat to the opposition defence through the match.

Of course, movement without precision and vision means little, but Rooney’s end product was consistently of the highest standard. Indeed, he misplaced just three of his passes all game, with plenty of those occurring in the final third. The 3 shots Rooney had during the game showed his prowess as a frontman, highlighted by his curling effort in the second half, which came so close to giving him the goal that he deserved.

United will head through to the knockout rounds in good confidence after remaining unbeaten in a group containing some good teams and with the likes of Rooney in fine form, they will have every reason to believe they can make a significant impact on the tournament this time around.