Devastated Rooney Dropped 鲁尼深受停赛打击

England's star striker Wayne Rooney was dropped 没有上场 for Manchester United's one-all draw 一比一平局 against arch-rivals 死对头 Liverpool because he's 'devastated' by a three-match international ban.

Wayne Rooney

Rooney's punishment follows a red card he received for kicking an opponent in England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro last week. It means he won't play in any of the three first-round matches 第一轮的比赛 in the tournament in Poland and Ukraine next summer.

Manchester United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, pointed out that Rooney's ban could mean he doesn'tsee any action 无缘参赛 at all in the competition.

He said, "England have found it difficult in championships to progress and for Wayne to get a three-match ban - it could mean he's going to miss the whole thing."

In the match itself, the first half was close and United were second-best for long periods. Liverpool's manager Kenny Dalglish said there wasn't much between 没有太大的差别 the two sides:

"It was tight in the first half. Both teams cancelled each other out 实力相当，相互抵消了" Liverpool Manager Kenny Dalglish.

Not including Rooney in the starting line-up looked like an expensive decision 昂贵的决定。 The Liverpool skipper 队长 Steven Gerrard slotted a free kick through the United wall 防守墙 to take the lead in the 68th minute. It was Gerrard's first start since undergoing groin surgery 做了腹股沟手术 in April.

This was the signal for Ferguson to make some changes and Hernandez rescued a point 救回一分 with a close-range header 近距离头球 with less than 10 minutes to go.

The Liverpool substitute Jordan Henderson almost snatched victory 抢得胜利 twice in stoppage time but United held on to end a run 阻止一连串的（行动）of three successive defeats at Liverpool's ground, Anfield.