Man Utd defend deleting Rooney “hate” comment

Manchester United on Friday defended removing a detrimental comment about title rivals Liverpool by striker Wayne Rooney from their website.

Rooney, a boyhood fan of Liverpool neighbours Everton where he began his career, told United’s television station MUTV he hated the Anfielders, who visit Old Trafford for a key Premier League match on Saturday.

“I?m very excited about the game because I grew up as an Everton fan hating Liverpool – and that hasn?t changed,” said Rooney, adding United were out to finish off Liverpool’s title hopes with a win that would virtually wrap up a third consecutive title by sending the Red Devils ten points clear.

A club spokesman said the club had deemed it necessary to remove the comments.

“In advance of the game we felt this was the best option.

“The comments are open to wilful mis-reporting and neither the club nor Wayne wanted that to happen.”

A new abridged posting on the site read simply: “I?m also very excited about the game because I grew up as an Everton fan.”

Rooney did, however, praise Liverpool’s showing in Tuesday’s Champions League thumping of Real Madrid and added that, domestically, “Liverpool have been brilliant all season and put up a good challenge” in the Premiership.

Meanwhile, Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez has hinted he may leave if he feels the club does not have a long-term project to compete with United.

The Spaniard has been stalling for months on signing a new contract – his current deal runs out next year – but says he will decide where his future lies by the end of this month.

“I must decide on my future in the next two weeks and I want a medium or long-term project,” he told The Sun newspaper.

“I don’t want to be working from day to day always hanging on the latest result. I will work where I feel I can develop a project.”

However, having been linked with a return to Real, where he has served as assistant manager and youth team coach, Benitez admitted that his homeland was not necessarily the most attractive proposition.

“What I want is hard to find in Spain. Long-term projects do not exist, not like they do in England.”