Rooney unleashed in Romania
Under normal circumstances, a trip to face the ailing Romanian champions, sandwiched in between key Premier League fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester City would be the cue for Ferguson to rest many of his senior players.
But that opportunity was denied to the Manchester United boss when his team tossed away a two-goal lead against FC Basle at Old Trafford three weeks ago.
Ashley Young salvaged a point for the Red Devils that night but with just two points from their opening two games, United presently lie third in Group C and urgently in need of victory.
So Rooney, surprisingly omitted from Ferguson’s starting line-up for the weekend trip to Anfield because he was “devastated” at picking up a three-match ban that would rule him out of the entire European Championships if England failed to emerge from their group, will get his chance.
“He’ll be playing tomorrow,” Ferguson declared last night. “When the initial news came through it was a definite blow for him. He didn’t expect that. None of us did.”
Rooney will decide later this week whether to launch an appeal, although his United team-mates have obviously decided now is not the time to trigger an in-depth dressing room discussion about the matter.
As it turned out, the one player Ferguson did leave at home, other than currently injured duo Tom Cleverley and Rafael, was Rio Ferdinand.
This was despite the 32-year-old producing a fine performance at Liverpool, albeit one that might have ended with a red card if referee Andre Marriner had taken a harsh view of the tackle on Charlie Adam that led directly to Liverpool’s equaliser.
However, Ferguson knows Ferdinand’s body is no longer what it was.
And evidently, the best place for his £29.1 million defender to prepare for Sunday’s Manchester derby is Carrington, not Bucharest.
“He played very well on Saturday but playing three games in seven days is a lot to ask of players when they get to their 30s,” said the United boss.
The decision was made easier by the presence of skipper Nemanja Vidic on the three-and-a-half hour flight into eastern Europe.
Vidic has been missing since injuring his calf at West Brom on August 14 but is expected to partner either Jonny Evans or Phil Jones in the National Stadium, being used because Otelul’s home 150 miles away does not meet UEFA standards.
“The pitch is fine,” said Ferguson, allaying fears that had been expressed by Patrice Evra after he played for France in the same stadium last month.
Ferguson may have warned against complacency but the scale of the task facing Otelul Galati tonight is a mammoth one.
Last week, when United players were scattered far and wide on international duty, Otelul had all theirs still at the club, with not a single call-up.
Little wonder it was suggested they were too respectful, fearful almost, of Benfica a fortnight ago, when they lost 1-0.
“It will not be like that again,” said coach Dorinel Munteanu. “I am convinced of that.
“I have only been a coach for five years, so it is fairly obvious to say this will be the biggest night of my career. But I intend there to be many more.”
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