Hernandez form could send Rooney to the bench

AMIDST the furore and excitement of Manchester United’s victory at Blackpool there was one thorny issue which lay only temporarily forgotten and, now that the euphoria of a dramatic comeback has ebbed, must be addressed with the utmost urgency: What to do with Wayne Rooney.

Rooney’s performance at Bloomfield Road has gone largely unnoticed, which is apt because his contribution was so minimal that it deserved little recognition. He started on the left, where he struggled to find his touch, moved to the centre and then, having failed to hit a single shot on goal all match, was substituted after 66 minutes in favour of Javier Hernandez.

And therein lies Alex Ferguson’s biggest conundrum, because Hernandez — as all season — produced the kind of cameo performance that makes you wonder if it is time to do what in the past would have been unthinkable — drop Wayne Rooney.