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29 March 2024

Champions League: Rooney will 'definitely' play, says Moyes

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney (centre) shoots to score his second goal from a penalty during their English Premier League match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford in Manchester, England March 29, 2014. (REUTERS)

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By AFP

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney will play against Bayern Munich on Wednesday even if it means having a pain-killing injection for a toe injury prior to the game, manager David Moyes said.

United are in desperate need of Rooney's power and finishing ability in Munich as they look to improve on a 1-1 home draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final last week and book a spot in the last four.

"He will definitely play," Moyes told reporters. "We will do all we can to get him on the pitch. He is happy to take an injection.

"It is the hardest game for us so far. Both teams have top players."

Moyes said every player would need to be at their best and that his team needed to improve from their first-leg performance in order to edge past last season's treble winners into the semi-finals.

"We can and will play better than in the first leg and we have to play better in order to progress," said Moyes. "We will need a good performance from everyone. We cannot have any passengers," Moyes said.

United were all but written off before the first leg against the powerful Bavarians, but have given themselves a chance with the draw at Old Trafford.

Bayern slumped to their first league defeat in 53 games on Saturday and have gone three games without a win for the first time since 2011.

Another worry for Bayern is their failure to win any of their last four matches against English opposition at the Allianz Arena, a run that started with their penalty shootout defeat to Chelsea in the 2012 Champions League final.

They have since lost and drawn against Arsenal and lost to Manchester City.

United's own recent form, on the other hand, with four goals in each of their last two Premier League wins, is another encouraging sign for Moyes.

"My focus is on getting through," said Moyes. "The players are ready and focused and we are relishing it."

Bayern coach Pep Guardiola has described Wednesday's second-leg at the Allianz Arena as a matter of "life or death" for holders Munich, who have made no secret of their desire to become the first team to defend the Champions League title.

United's hopes hinge on Rooney, who missed Saturday's 4-0 league win at Newcastle United with a badly bruised toe and the 28-year-old's absence would be a big blow to United's chances of progressing.

Along with Robin van Persie, who is out with a knee injury, he is the club's joint-top scorer this season with 17 goals, two of which were in the Champions League.

"If he's out, it would certainly be a big loss for United," admitted Bayern centre-back Jerome Boateng, whose job would be to contain the England star.

"Wayne Rooney is the key man for United, he always makes himself available and he goes looking for the ball, he's always good for a goal."

United trail Premier League leaders Liverpool by 17 points, but David Moyes has the chance to redeem himself after a wretched first season in charge by claiming Bayern's scalp.

"We always believe when you play for Manchester United; it is not because you win 4-0 against Newcastle that we start to believe we can win against Bayern," insisted United star Patrice Evra, who missed the first leg through suspension.

The Red Devils will be without cup-tied Juan Mata, who scored twice and created a goal at Newcastle and Bayern's Boateng fully expects United to come to Munich and defend.

"Just like in the first-leg, they'll try and get at us on the counter-attack and at set plays," said Boateng.

"We need just a little more pace, we need to get our crosses in a little quicker, and we should sometimes try our luck with shots from long range."

United travel to Bavaria with the hosts needing a return to winning ways having struggled for form since securing the Bundesliga title two weeks ago with a record seven games to spare.

Guardiola will have to make a few more changes for the second-leg, especially in midfield with both Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger suspended.

Attacking midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri are injured, but Guardiola still has plenty of options including Philipp Lahm, Arjen Robben, Toni Kroos, Mario Goetze and Franck Ribery.

Bayern only need a goalless draw to go through, but the holders want a convincing win after recent results.

"We've got to play to win. We'll end up losing if we play for a goalless draw," said Bayern's Brazil centre-back Dante, who will return having been suspended for the first-leg.

"We've got to be aggressive going forward from the start and try to score.

"Manchester United will sit back again.

"They'll take more risks the longer the game goes on."