Rooney assured over future

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson broke his silence yesterday over this week’s Champions League exit and dismissed media speculation that dropped striker Wayne Rooney’s Old Trafford days were numbered. The England international only came on as a 73rd-minute substitute against Real Madrid in United’s biggest game of the season on Tuesday when his side were 2-1 behind and reduced to 10 men after the controversial dismissal of winger Nani. “He will be here next year, you’ve got my word on that,” Ferguson told a news conference after British media reports had suggested Rooney could leave the club at the end of this season. “He will be involved on Sunday (against Chelsea in their FA Cup quarter-final), no doubt about that. “There is absolutely no issue between Wayne Rooney and I, to suggest we don’t talk to each other on the training ground is absolute nonsense,” Ferguson added. It was the first time Ferguson had addressed the media since Tuesday’s match when he was too distraught to speak publicly, sending assistant Mike Phelan to the news conference instead after Nani’s 56th-minute red card completely changed the game. He arrived at the training ground smiling and asking...