Manchester United legend Roy Keane believes that the snub of Wayne Rooney against Anderlecht was the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for him at Old Trafford.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was forced off with what looked like a serious knee injury at the end of normal time, but instead of calling upon Rooney to go up front, Jose Mourinho opted to bring on Anthony Martial on the left and switch Marcus Rashford up top.
The 31-year-old has made 31 appearances in all competitions but has been limited from a minutes perspective, while he’s managed just five goals and 10 assists in that time on the pitch.
Keane believes that the latest snub is perhaps the worst, and it spells the end for the England international who has been linked with an exit this summer.
“In terms of the bigger picture I’d have thought that’s the end of Wayne at Manchester United,” he is quoted as saying by The Sun. “He will obviously contribute until the end of the season because of injuries.
“But he must be fuming not to be brought on. I think it’s the final nail in the coffin for him definitely. Leading scorer at the club, I’d expect him to be fuming.
“If he’s not fuming then he’s obviously lost the eye of the tiger. He must be like a mad man tonight, he must be.”
Having now established himself as the club’s all-time top goalscorer, winning the amount of silverware that he has and with an influx of young players pushing him out, it feels as though it’s the natural time for Rooney to walk away.
Time will tell if he does, but having fallen down the pecking order under Mourinho and with other individuals being preferred on a regular basis, then it’s difficult to disagree with Keane’s assessment on his future.