Rooney to start for United

Manchester United have confirmed Wayne Rooney will start tonight’s friendly with Macclesfield at Moss Rose.

Manager Alex Ferguson suggested at the weekend he would hand Rooney his first game since England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to Portugal in this evening’s game.

And, true to his word, the United boss has included Rooney in the side he sent to Macclesfield ahead of the game.

While it is only anticipated Rooney will play the first 45 minutes against Brian Horton’s Coca-Cola League Two outfit, the 20-year-old’s presence should ensure a capacity crowd for the game.

Along with Rooney, fellow internationals Rio Ferdinand and Edwin van der Sar will also be handed their first appearances of United’s pre-season campaign.

There is no Ryan Giggs in the Red Devils line-up, with the veteran Welshman seemingly not yet recovered from the stomach bug which has laid him low since returning from the recent three-match tour of South Africa.

Instead, Rooney will be partnered up front by Giuseppe Rossi, who looks like being one of the major beneficiary of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s recent departure for Real Madrid.

Highly-rated Derry-born midfielder Darron Gibson is also handed another opportunity to shine, as is David Jones, who has already been told by Ferguson he will remain at Old Trafford for the remainder of the campaign.

Manchester United: Van der Sar, Simpson, Lee, McShane, Ferdinand, Gibson, Martin, D Jones, Rossi, Rooney, Eagles. Subs: R Jones, Shawcross, Gray, Rose, Evans, N’Galula, Mullan, Barnes, Campbell, Marsh.