Following a summer when it seemed certain Wayne Rooney would leave Manchester United, his manager said the forward is setting the standard for the club.
“What Wayne is doing is making the others play well because he is playing well,” David Moyes said.
“He has turned himself into a real team player. With the assists for the team and the goals, his all-round contribution has been fantastic.”
Moyes also detects a desire by Rooney to assume more responsibility off the field, too.
With Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand in reduced roles and Darren Fletcher just back from major injury, Rooney is effectively the club’s elder statesman.
And with the status has come a willingness to pass on crucial guidance to the present crop of youngsters.
“He needs to show the young players,” Moyes said. “You go through the years and look at people like Ryan Giggs and the advice he gave to Wayne Rooney. Wayne has to now give it to Adnan Januzaj and the new players coming up. He has a big responsibility to … the next generation.”
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Allardyce confirms interest in taking Gyan on loan from Al Ain
Sam Allardyce, the West Ham United manager, said the club have made enquiries into taking the Al Ain forward Asamoah Gyan on loan. “We’ll be linked with anybody that’s a centre forward that might be coming back into this country,” he said. “So if there’s a player of any sort of quality we try to find out what the situation might be, but it is nothing more than that.” Gyan, the Ghana captain and former Sunderland player, leads the UAE with 14 goals.
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WELBECK AMONG MANCHESTER UNITED’s WOUNDED
Danny Welbeck is a doubt for Manchester United’s Boxing Day trip to Hull City. Welbeck suffered a bang on the knee during Saturday’s win over West Ham United. Fears of a repeat of the injury that ruled him out earlier in the season have been dispelled, but he is in a race to be fit for the match at KC Stadium. Michael Carrick (Achilles) and Robin van Persie (thigh) are unlikely to be involved and Marouane Fellaini (wrist) is definitely out, but Anders Lindegaard should be back after a hip problem.
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CHESTER EXCITED TO SEE FAMILIAR FACES
The Hull City defender James Chester cannot wait to go head-to-head today with his former teammates at Manchester United.
Chester was on the books at Old Trafford as a youth player but the closest he got to the first team was a second-half substitute appearance in a League Cup semi-final against Derby.
However, after loan spells at Peterborough, Plymouth and Carlisle, the 24-year-old centre-back joined Hull in January 2011 and was an integral part of the team that enjoyed promotion to the top flight ahead of the current season.
Despite injury concerns at the start of the current campaign, Chester is in fine form and will now welcome his former employers when they visit the KC Stadium.
“Manchester United was the fixture I looked for when the games came out at the start of the season,” Chester said.
“I spent a long time there and I owe them an awful lot. Perhaps I have a little bit of point to prove but I don’t hold any grudges and I am very thankful for the 10 or 11 years they gave me.
“But it would be nice to show people how I have done. Getting into the Premier League was my first aim and I want to stay here now.”
Depending on how the United manager David Moyes deploys his resources over the holiday period, Chester could also find himself up against two very familiar faces.
“I have known Tom Cleverley since I was eight, and used to train with him and Danny Welbeck,” he said.
“Me and Danny used to come up against each other pretty much every day. I still have a scar on my face where he kicked me on the head.
“I am proud of what he has managed to do at United.
“Watching the lads play in the Champions League has made me target that as an ambition now. I know it’s a long shot and a long way off but you never know.”
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PREVIEWS
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Aston Villa v Crystal Palace - Gabriel Agbonlahor returns from a one-match suspension but Christian Benteke will be missing once more when Aston Villa face Crystal Palace. The Belgian striker Benteke is undergoing physiotherapy in Belgium until tomorrow. Ashley Westwood serves a one-match ban for five yellow cards this season while the captain, Ron Vlaar, is unlikely to have recovered from a calf problem in time. Palace will be without Marouane Chamakh, who is suspended.
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Cardiff City v Southampton - Craig Bellamy looks set to miss Cardiff's clash with Southampton as the veteran forward continues to struggle with a knee problem. Manager Malky Mackay may decide to restore Fraizer Campbell to his starting line-up, having left the striker on the bench for the weekend defeat at Anfield. Dani Osvaldo, Luke Shaw, Nathaniel Clyne and Kelvin Davis could all return for injury-hit Southampton. Artur Boruc (hand), Victor Wanyama (shin) and Guly do Prado (knee) are sidelined.
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Chelsea v Swansea City - The Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho is likely to rotate his options for the encounter with Swansea, meaning Ashley Cole could start at left-back. With Chelsea facing Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, Mourinho may opt to withdraw the likes of John Terry, the captain, who has played every league game this season, from the first line of battle. Swansea are without the Spanish forward Michu, who is likely to be sidelined for six weeks due to ankle surgery.
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Everton v Sunderland - Leighton Baines, the Everton left-back, could be back for today's match with Sunderland after five games out with a broken toe. The striker Nikica Jelavic should also be available after missing Sunday's win at Swansea with a minor hamstring injury. The defender John O'Shea is fighting to be fit for Sunderland after damaging a shoulder during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Norwich while his defensive partner Wes Brown begins a three-match ban for a red card.
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Newcastle United v Stoke City - Newcastle's Alan Pardew will be without the midfield enforcer Cheick Tiote as the Ivorian has collected his fifth booking of the season. Mark Hughes, the Stoke manager, must decide whether to reward Charlie Adam for his second-half performance against Aston Villa with a start when the his side travel to Newcastle. Adam was key to Stoke's 2-1 victory after replacing Mark Arnautovic at half time, netting the opening goal. Hughes also has Stephen Ireland available.
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Norwich City v Fulham - The striker Dimitar Berbatov faces a late fitness test if he is to play in Fulham's clash with Norwich; he missed the 4-2 defeat to Manchester City with a groin injury. It is in defence where Rene Meulensteen has most of his worries as both Brede Hangeland (back) and Philippe Senderos (abductor) are missing as well as Matthew Briggs (hernia). Ricky van Wolfswinkel, the forward, is fit again for Norwich but midfielder Jonny Howson is a doubt.
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Tottenham Hotspur v West Brom Albion - New Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood may be without the winger Aaron Lennon, who has an abdominal injury. Mousa Dembele limped off in the second half of Sunday's 3-2 win at Southampton, but the midfielder's twisted ankle is not too serious. Andros Townsend (hamstring), Younes Kaboul (thigh) and Jan Vertonghen (ankle) are out, while Paulinho is suspended and Harry Kane has a back complaint. The striker Victor Anichebe is West Brom's only injury doubt.
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West Ham United v Arsenal - Arsenal will be without Jack Wilshere as the midfielder completes a two-match suspension for making an obscene gesture. The centre-half Laurent Koscielny could return after sitting out the game against Chelsea with a cut on his knee. Kevin Nolan returns from suspension for West Ham. Sam Allardyce, the manager, will continue to select the defender James Tomkins despite his arrest on Sunday. There is still no estimate for Andy Carroll's return from foot trouble.
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