Anybody that watched last night's Carling Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Manchester United can fail to have noticed that Wayne Rooney was effectively carrying his team.
He has been for much of the season as the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo was removed from him, which left him the club's one world class star and also left him as the player expected to grab games by the neck and lead United to victory.
In fact the pressure is much worse given that Carlos Tevez also left the club, that Dimitar Berbatov has been hopeless this season and than Michael Owen has failed to find his feet at the club.
It is therefore all about Rooney and he is a player that relishes this expectation and pressure to perform and they is no doubt he is putting in the effort game in, game out. He wants to play every minute of every game and if the match is not going well, as is increasingly the case, he will work his socks off trying to change United's fortunes.
This presents two major problems for England with the World Cup coming just weeks after the conclusion of the season this summer. He is going to be physically drained after such an intense season and also mentally exhausted given the pressure he is under and the pressure he puts on himself in each and every game.
He is also the focus piece of the England team, so again all the eyes will be on him with the opinion that if he doesn't perform, nor will his country.
Manchester United need to find their form quickly, for their sake and England.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
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