Wayne Rooney offered a timely riposte to his critics last night as the Manchester United striker scored a hat-trick against Club Bruges to book his team’s place in the Champions League group stage.
The England captain ended a ten-game goal drought dating back to April as United ran out 4-0 winners on the night and 7-1 aggregate winners over the course of their two-leg play-off against the Belgian side.
United will be in the second pot of seeds when the draw is made in Monaco this afternoon and could find themselves in the same group as Barcelona or Bayern Munich. Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal complete England’s representation.
Louis van Gaal, the United manager, has come under mounting pressure to sign a centre forward before the close of the transfer window on Tuesday, but Rooney insisted that his performance proved that he was capable of delivering the goals this season.
The striker had cut a laboured figure during his team’s opening four matches of the campaign, but he looked revitalised against Bruges as he gave his team a three-goal lead before Ander Herrera added a fourth. Javier Hernández missed a penalty and an open goal.
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“If I didn’t have a strong character, that [the goal drought and criticism] would have affected me, but I know my qualities, I know what I give to the team,” the United captain, who scored just 14 goals last season, said.
“Even if the goals don’t go in I still bring a lot to my team. Thankfully I’ve got chances tonight and I’ve taken them.
“I would have been worried if it was going three, four, five games more [without a goal], but it’s early days in the season and I knew when the chances came I would take them.
“As a striker, obviously you want to score. Everyone goes back to last season and towards the end of the season I didn’t score. People make a big thing of it. I have understood since a young age because of my name, because of who I am, it will get publicised a lot more. That is my part of my job. I have to accept that.”
Van Gaal heaped praise on Rooney but said that both he and the team still had significant improvements to make.
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“Wayne has the best mentality that you can imagine,” the United manager said. “Such players with that level shall always come back, but still it’s a long way for him and also for Manchester United, so it’s not so easy. But of course I’m happy for him.
“It was a very good game, so I’m very pleased. We need more victories like this.”
Van Gaal said he would be watching United’s reserves play this afternoon rather than the Champions League group stage draw.
“Of course [I care who we draw], but I cannot have any influence on the draw,” he said. “There was a lady who asked me what I shall do during the draw. I said I shall watch the second team against Ajax because I cannot influence the draw, so it is better to hear afterwards.”
Rooney added: “United have to be in the Champions League. It was a big disappointment missing out last year. Coming here we didn’t think it would be as comfortable as it was, but it was vital we went through and over the two legs we fully deserved it. It is exciting now.”
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Roberto Martínez again insisted that John Stones would not be sold to Chelsea after the Everton defender helped his side to a 5-3 Capital One Cup victory away to Barnsley last night. Stones was a surprise inclusion in the side after he had handed in a transfer request the day before, but Martínez, the Everton manager, said: “We’ll reject it in the morning and get on with our business.”