Wayne Rooney set Manchester United on their way to a comeback win over arch rivals Liverpool to win the International Champions Cup, writes David McDonnell in Miami.
Two goals in as many minutes saw United come from behind in the muggy heat of Miami’s Sun Life Stadium and maintain their unbeaten run under new boss Louis van Gaal.
Rooney, handed the captain’s armband for the first time on United’s tour of the US, rose to the challenge to inspire van Gaal’s side to a deserved win.
United were trailing 1-0 to a Steven Gerrard first-half penalty before two goals in as many minutes after the break – the first from Rooney – saw them run out winners.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers had warned van Gaal he would find managing in England harder than anything he had experienced in Holland, Spain or Germany.
But it was the Dutchman’s side who emerged triumphant in this all-Premier League Stateside clash, with the start of the new season just 11 days away.
United’s five-game tour of the US, which has taken in games in Los Angeles, Denver, Washington, Detroit and Miami, has seen van Gaal’s side win four and draw one.
That unbeaten record is all the more impressive given van Gaal has only been working with his players for a little over three weeks and has introduced a whole new system in that time.
United suffered a blow in the eighth minute when Antonio Valencia was forced off with an injury, replaced by Luke Shaw.
With Rafael, Michael Carrick and Danny Welbeck already injured, van Gaal can ill-afford to lose any more of his players to enforced breaks.
Liverpool took the lead in the 14 minute through a clinically-dispatched Steven Gerrard penalty, after Phil Jones had brought down Raheem Sterling with a clumsy challenged.
Jones protested at the decision, but replays of the incident showed he did bring down Sterling, even if he may have managed to get the faintest of touches on the ball.
Thereafter, Liverpool were the better side, their energy and guile in stark contrast to United’s sluggishness and lack of enterprise or invention when in possession.
United received a let-off in the 25 minute, when Phillipe Coutinho showed wonderful speed and movement to fashion a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box.
Coutinho unleashed a goal-bound shot but United keeper David De Gea was equal to the effort, diving full-stretch to his left to keep the ball out with a strong left-handed save.
Liverpool could have had another penalty 10 minutes from the break when Ander Herrera tripped Sterling from behind, with replays suggesting ref Mark Geiger had got the decision wrong.
United were unable to plunder an equaliser, with United front pair Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez putting no pressure whatsoever on Liverpool’s back-four.
But van Gaal’s side turned the game in their favour with two goals in as many minutes in the second-half, the first coming via a wonderful finish from Rooney.
Herrera showed great persistence and tenacity in keeping the ball under pressure, then funnelling it out wide to Hernandez on the right.
Source: Mirror
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