Wayne Rooney and Sam Allardyce to have clear-the-air talks after Merseyside derby snub, confirms Everton manager
But after hooking Toffees star at Goodison Park Big Sam admits Rooney has had his ‘struggles’ against the best sides
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SAM ALLARDYCE will hold clear-the-air talks with Wayne Rooney after the Everton captain's foul-mouthed rant against Liverpool.
The Toffees boss hooked the former England and Manchester United star in the 57th minute of Saturday's frustrating 0-0 Merseyside derby draw.
And Allardyce wasn't happy with Rooney's performance in the previous home game with Manchester City, either.
Rooney launched a string of expletives when he sat on the bench during the Liverpool game, and was left fuming with his boss.
Big Sam told he will chat to a ‘frustrated’ and foul-mouthed Rooney this week. He said: “Wayne’s disappointment was borne out of frustration.
“He is an Evertonian through and through, he was playing in a big derby against Liverpool on his own patch and he was substituted by the manager - that was too much for him to take and he had to show his frustration.
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“We’ll sit down this week and talk it through and we’ll see how he feels. I’m sure he’s calmed down a bit now.
“The most important thing for me on the day was, how could I improve the team that, in my and my coaches’ opinion, was having to defend a little bit too much?
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“We had to make these changes and we didn’t just make one with Wayne, we made three very quickly and in the end we finished the game stronger than Liverpool and nearly won it.
“That’s what you have to do as a manager. No matter who is on the field, if you feel you need to change, you have to change it, but sometimes the players will show their frustration.”
Allardyce refuted suggestions that Rooney wants out, saying: “There is no doubt this is where Wayne Rooney wants to be.
“The reality of the situation is this is his first season back and it’s been difficult for everybody.
"There have been lots and lots of changes, not just with myself and the staff I’ve brought in, but lots of changes in the team.
"We have to get that stability back, which we’re slowly but surely doing, and then we have to look at what the summer will bring and what next season will bring.
“There will be some changes, and I’m not particularly talking about Wayne Rooney or anybody now, but there will be some changes because Rooney's ability against the top sides when he said after the Merseyside derby:
"I can agree with you, to a certain degree, that Wayne struggles against the very best opposition.
"He didn't play very well in the first half against Manchester City but, before that, he had been outstanding and we had been a little bit short in midfield in recent weeks."
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Allardyce will study the data from the draw with Liverpool before deciding whether Rooney starts against Swansea next weekend.
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"When those stats match what I've seen, for any player, it's where we make our decisions.
"We talk to the player about that situation, whoever it might be, and say levels have to be lifted.
"And when that continues to happen, no matter who it is, whether it's Wayne, Phil Jagielka, Tom Davies or whoever, you get left out of the team."