Fergie plays down unrest

Sir Alex Ferguson shrugged off Wayne Rooney’s bad–tempered reaction to being substituted in Istanbul last night.

The Manchester United striker was replaced after an hour of his side’s 1–0 victory over Besiktas after running himself into the ground as a lone front–man.

Given the work he had to do for England in two internationals, and a gruelling examination at Tottenham, when he was part of a side that completed the game with only 10 men, Rooney might have been glad of the break, particularly as Manchester City go to Old Trafford on Sunday.

Instead, Rooney was severely put–out..

“It was always part of our thoughts to bring Wayne off,” confirmed Ferguson. “He had been playing as the lone striker for an hour, which is why he was always going to come off.

“He is never pleased to come off. He has so much energy he wants to play all the time.”

Although the win itself was fairly routine, with Paul Scholes pouncing 13 minutes from time after Nani had seen his blistering shot saved by Hakan Arikan, there were a couple of unsavoury incidents for Ferguson to reflect on.

Police were forced to intervene to get a group of Besiktas fans away from the visitors’ dug–out, while Ferguson confirmed Jonny Evans had been targeted by a supporter carrying a laser.