Wayne Rooney was in no mood to celebrate moving closer to a goal-scoring milestone with a double blast in the 3-3 draw at Newcastle United on Tuesday, the striker instead admitting he was frustrated his side had failed to secure the win.
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Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren feels his side and opponents Manchester United answered their recent critics in the thrilling 3-3 Premier League draw at St James’ Park. “But I do think he has been very, very good in the last two or three games for us”.
Rooney scored his second with a cracker of a shot in the 79 minute and it looked as if Man United were going to hold on for a win, but Magpies defender Paul Dummett saved his side a point with a 89 minute strike.
Newcastle started to dominate possession and territory, and got the goal they deserved after Mitrovic was adjudged to have been hauled down by Chris Smalling as they wrestled at a corner.
“We have given it away – I have told that to my players”. I think he has more to come.
“Sometimes it’s a little bit easier to do it away from home, actually, when a team comes out at you and really has a go like Newcastle did”.
“In spite of that the referee gives also a penalty that I think is a duel”, he said.
Manchester United sits sixth in the Premier League through 21 games, while Rooney has five league goals all season, three of which have come in the last two games. The English centre-half was directly involved in all three of Newcastle’s goals in one of the most exciting games of the season, first failing to follow Georginio Wijnaldum for the Toons’ first, before conceding a penalty that Aleksandar Mitrovic converted. We were composed; we were keeping the ball and creating chances and all of a sudden [it came] from nothing.
“We tried to get Jonjo in the summer and we are delighted to get him now”, said McClaren.
“We always want to try and play entertaining attacking football”.
Van Gaal said his players should have scored six goals and admitted: “We were the better team and that is why it is frustrating and we lose very expensive points”.
“The heavyweight wrestling between Mitrovic and Smalling – you can see he’s pushing the head of Smalling to the ground”. The building and growing, fighting for 95 minutes and we got the rewards. “We’ve shown character, attitude”.
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“People thought it would be a 0-0 but it was a classic at 3-3”.
