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PSV vs Manchester United: Wayne Rooney ruled out of Champions League return after captain left out of squad

A hamstring injury continues to hamper Rooney after he missed the 3-1 win over Liverpool

Jack de Menezes
Monday 14 September 2015 11:28 BST
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Wayne Rooney looks likely to miss his side's clash against Liverpool
Wayne Rooney looks likely to miss his side's clash against Liverpool

Wayne Rooney has been ruled out of Manchester United's return to the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven after failing to recover from the hamstring injury he suffered ahead the weekend victory over Liverpool.

Rooney was a notable absentee from United’s squad that beat their rivals 3-1 in the Premier League on Saturday evening, with news quickly spreading of a hamstring injury in the build-up to kick-off.

The captain has now been left out of the squad that has travelled to the Netherlands to take on the Eredivisie champions on Tuesday in their opening Group B encounter, with CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg making up the group.

Rooney is hopeful of returning in time for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Southampton, but he will not lead the club in their return to the main competition and instead manager Louis van Gaal has included 19-year-olds James Wilson and Andreas Pereira.

Striker Wilson could yet leave the club at the end of the week on loan, and Rooney’s absence looks likely to give Anthony Martial his first start for United after his brilliant debut on Saturday from the substitutes’ bench.

The former Monaco forward joined the club in the summer in a £36.3m deal that could rise to a possible £58m dependent on his performances, but his price-tag was soon forgotten when he jinked his way through the Liverpool defence to score a third for United and put the result beyond doubt.

Midfielder Marouane Fellaini started the match in attack but looked uncomfortable from the outset, and the introduction of Martial certainly gave United a more direct attacking threat with the teenage France international able to run at defenders with the ball at his feet.

Phil Jones is the only other player unavailable for the trip as he continues to recover from the blood clot that has hampered his start to the season. The England international, who missed recent victories over San Marino and Switzerland, is hoping to return later this month.

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