ROONEY BACK IN ACTION

Macclesfield 1 United 2

Wayne Rooney was back in business against Macclesfield - scoring with a back-heel, pulling off an outrageous dive, and even accidentally smashing a United fan in the face with a full-blooded volley during the warm-up.

After the media build-up to his supposed showdown with Cristiano Ronaldo earlier in the day, Rooney was happy just to get back to playing his football, with thoughts of vendettas far from his mind.

One moment in the game should have driven home to Rooney exactly why he SHOULD have no beef with Cristiano Ronaldo.

With 10 minutes left of the second half, Rooney was heading for goal courtesy of a gift from the League Two side's defence. As he prepared to shoot, a desperate challenge came in from Danny Swailes, barely touching the United man if it touched him at all, and yet he hurled himself headlong in the box, hoping for a penalty.

If Rooney had ever considered taking Alan Shearer's advice and smacking his team-mate one, when they met up at Carrington yesterday morning, his own actions at Moss Rose should make him think again. Rooney's dive proved he has some of the same in his make-up, even with nothing at stake.

Former United keeper Tommy Lee had kept the Reds at bay in the first half, denying Rooney with a point-blank save and then holding a header from the England star under his crossbar, while Paul McShane had a header cleared off the line.

Macc were competitive, with Alan Navarro's fierce drive troubling Edwin van der Sar sufficiently for the Dutch keeper to palm it high in the air rather than attempt the catch. But once Lee had been subbed at half time, Rooney quickly struck to beat his replacement Jonny Brain.

McShane's show was heading goalwards but the Scouse ace made sure with a smart back-heel.

Macc were level within two minutes as big centre-half Swailes fired home through a crowd of players following a corner.

United went ahead on 72 minutes when Lee Martin's free-kick found young Fraizer Campbell twisting acrobatically in the box to head home.

United's need for at least one more midfielder, after they completed the signing of Michael Carrick last night, was underlined when youngsters David Jones and Chris Eagles limped off injured.