Wayne Rooney says Manchester United‘s younger fans got a “taste of what it was like under Sir Alex Ferguson” during their 2-0 win over Manchester City – and hopes it is a glimpse of what is to come under Michael Carrick.
Carrick, 44, was appointed as United’s interim head coach on Tuesday until the end of the season, replacing the sacked Ruben Amorim.
Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu secured a deserved victory over Pep Guardiola’s City on Saturday at a raucous Old Trafford.
Rooney, who won five Premier League titles alongside Carrick at United, thinks there was a big difference in the home crowd under the leadership of his former team-mate.
“I wasn’t at the stadium, I was in the BBC studios, but did you see the difference in the stadium? Even when he [Michael Carrick] walked out before the game and he’s trying to pump the crowd up,” Rooney said on the latest edition of BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show.
“I think the fans felt something yesterday. They got a taste of what it was like under Sir Alex Ferguson. Some of the young fans who have been through a terrible time over the last 10, 13 years, really, since Fergie left.
“They haven’t witnessed a team perform that well. I’ve been part of some of those teams as well. I’ve played in some of them.
“They haven’t witnessed a team perform that well, with that energy and that belief in their fighting and being brave with the ball, but also being resilient and tough to play against.
“Them fans felt that yesterday and hopefully that’s a glimpse of what we’ve got coming in the next 16 games.”
After a goalless first half, Cameroon forward Mbeumo – returning from Africa Cup of Nations duty – fired United in front, with Dorgu doubling the lead 11 minutes later.
Rooney said it was the “best performance” he had seen from United in a long time.
“I think what Michael has done with the team wasn’t rocket science. It was a simple tweak in terms of what he’d done in terms of formation,” the former England striker said.
“I think everyone’s been talking a lot about Ruben Amorim’s formation in the back three and how it suited Man United as well.
“So he changed that, but if you go back to the last podcast we’d done when I spoke about what United need to do, it’s simple really, it’s run and work hard. It was so refreshing to see the players do that.
“I thought Amad and Dorgu on the wings were excellent, the work-rate they put in to help the full-backs out and they got into a compact shape, which I spoke about, and hit Man City on the break.”
Amorim was dismissed on 5 January and Rooney said United’s win over City was “night and day from what we’ve been seeing” under the Portuguese.
Rooney added: “You can feel it from the fans as well, the difference in energy from the team, the confidence, the belief, the composure on the ball at the right times.
“It was night and day from what we’ve been seeing, so it was such a good day. It reminded me, when we talk about Man United’s DNA, that was it…
“Work hard, run for your team-mate, get back into shape, be hard to play against – [and then] when you get an opportunity run forward.”
