Breaking Down Wayne Rooney's Performance for Manchester United v Chelsea

Wayne Rooney's performance at Chelsea this weekend could, maybe should, have been remembered for a goal.

His effort in the opening minutes at Stamford Bridge, after Luke Shaw had raced down the left, looked, for a moment, like it had gone in. The travelling fans behind the opposite goal celebrated like it had. So did David de Gea.

It was a chance Rooney would expect to score. It was Manchester United's best of the game, and given Chelsea's lack of ambition, it might have been enough to win the game.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

An injury to Michael Carrick meant Rooney was back in midfield at Stamford Bridge. And it was from a deep position that he arrived in the box to flash the ball wide from Shaw's cross.

Since returning to his more natural position up front, Rooney has averaged around 35 touches a game. It's not that he's played poorly. More that he's been fulfilling a specific tactical job, according to Gary Neville in his analysis of the Manchester derby on Sky Sports:

"

Sunday was a silent domination of City’s centre-backs. I would think Louis van Gaal will have watched that game back and might think that was Rooney’s best performance for Manchester United under him. ...

You used to see him charging down channels, dropping into midfield, if he hasn’t had the ball for five minutes you used to see him drop to get it because that’s the type of player he is.

"

Rooney had 96 touches against Chelsea, almost three times the number he's averaged as a striker. Consequently, he was more involved in the game than he has been for a long time.

His passing was tidy without ever hurting Jose Mourinho's side, but he kept the ball sensibly, helping United to have 70 per cent of the possession over the 90 minutes.

Bogdan Maran/Associated Press

But had Rooney been up front instead of in midfield, he might have "dominated" Chelsea's centre-backs rather better than Radamel Falcao managed, and Eden Hazard might never have had the chance to score the winner.

As Neville pointed out, vital contributions can't always be measured with statistics.

Bogdan Maran/Associated Press

As the players have learned Louis van Gaal's philosophy, United's form has improved. Individuals have become cogs in the machine, all carrying out specific tasks for the greater good.

Rooney saw more of the ball against Chelsea than he did against Manchester City, or any game in the last two months. He probably should have scored.

But without a goal, he couldn't match the "silent" contribution he had enjoyed in the derby.

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