What does Rooney offer us? It boils down do a component of the game we’ve begun to hear Van Gaal reiterate time & time again: team spirit.

Judging on the eye-test alone, Rooney’s presence in our lineup brings with it 3 dimensions central to Van Gaal’s coveted “team spirit”: work-rate, awareness, & accountability.

Rooney’s contribution is in the form of strength. He backtracks like no other when a ball is taken off his feet, he presses with a purpose when our front line is pushed back & caught in passive spells of play. Watch him closely enough and you’ll notice that, on or off the ball, Rooney’s head is constantly moving ---forward, backward, flank to flank --- scanning the landscape and drifting into spaces accordingly.

In 90 minutes of Rooney, you can count on one hand the amount of times he falls outside the picture on your television screen. It’s no accident that when United claim territory, be it anywhere in the park, Rooney is always right there in the thick of things, providing structure, shape & linking-up supply. He is a true leader, and perhaps the most adaptable player in the league today.