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Rediff.com  » Sports » Rooney, Van Persie to miss Chelsea game
This article was first published 10 years ago

Rooney, Van Persie to miss Chelsea game

January 18, 2014 09:29 IST

Image: Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie
Photographs: Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

Manchester United strikers Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney will miss Sunday's Premier League game at Chelsea, manager David Moyes said on Friday.

Rooney, who has not played since the New Year's Day defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, has returned to the club from warm weather training but will not be available to face Jose Mourinho's team.

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"He's training, doing some running and looking quite good. I don't want to put a date on his return just now as I don't want to say he'll be fit for whatever game and then find he's not. We've just got to take it bit by bit," Moyes told a news conference. 

Moyes sounded more confident about Van Persie's fitness.

"I'm hoping Robin has a good chance of training at the start of next week. It would be a great boost. Most of the players are getting close to full fitness," Moyes said.

Moyes fined for comments about referee

Image: David Moyes
Photographs: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Manchester United manager David Moyes was fined £8,000 by the English FA and warned about his future conduct on Friday over comments he made about match officials.

Moyes admitted a misconduct charge following his outburst after United's 2-1 League Cup semi-final first -leg defeat at Sunderland on January 7.

The Scot said his side had to play the officials as well as the opposition and criticised the performance of referee Andre Marriner during the Sunderland game.

Moyes confirms Anderson departure

Image: Anderson
Photographs: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Manchester United midfielder Anderson is joining Fiorentina on loan, the Premier League's club's manager David Moyes said on Friday.

The Brazilian has undergone a medical at the Serie A club Fiorentina who posted a photo of the 25-year-old on their Twitter feed.

"We've not been able to get him as many games as he'd hoped, or we hoped we might get him, so we feel it's a good opportunity for him," Moyes told a news conference.

"He's going to a good club in a good league, so hopefully it gets him some benefit."

Anderson struggled with fitness

Image: Anderson
Photographs: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Brazil international Anderson has made 179 appearances for United since signing from Porto in 2007 in a combined deal with winger Nani worth £30 million.

He has started only three games under Moyes this season and his time at United has been blighted by inconsistency as he has failed to tie down a first-team place and showed only glimpses of his potential.

He also struggled with injury and fitness problems during his time at Old Traffotd.

Anderson's departure could prompt Moyes to make a move in the transfer market, with United fans crying out for reinforcements in midfield. Marouane Fellaini was their only arrival in the close-season.

Fiorentina are fourth in Serie A, 15 points adrift of leaders Juventus.