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RAVEL MORRISON has spoken out about Wayne Rooney smashing up his BlackBerry in a dressing room rage – and blamed it all on Rio Ferdinand.
Rooney revealed how he left Morrison’s phone in tiny pieces at after finding it plugged into his charger at the training ground.

Wayne Rooney revealed he smashed up Ravel Morrison’s BlackBerryCredit: Action Images – Reuters

Ravel Morrison was tipped for great things at Manchester UnitedCredit: Corbis – Getty

Morrison insisted Rio Ferdinand was to blame for Rooney smashing his phone to bitsCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun

@rioferdy5 Put my phone on charge for me, i had a U18s game on the way out I Gave him my phone.. 90 minutes later.. phone smashed to tiny pieces 😂@WayneRooney it’s all Rio’s fault 😂I wouldn’t come in and take your phone off charge 🤷🏽‍♂️🙄😂I’m sure @GNev2 played some part👀
— ravel morrison (@morrisonravel) November 24, 2020

The Red Devils legend was fuming ‘one of the reserve players’ had nicked the charger he was using in the Carrington dressing room.
But Morrison has now taken to Twitter to set the record straight and claimed it was ‘all Rio’s fault’.
He said he gave his phone to the former centre-back to charge while he was playing in an Under-18s game.
He wrote: “@rioferdy5 Put my phone on charge for me, i had a U18s game on the way out I Gave him my phone.. 90 minutes later.. phone smashed to tiny pieces.

“@WayneRooney it’s all Rio’s fault. I wouldn’t come in and take your phone off charge. I’m sure @GNev2 played some part.”
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Rooney, who ended up the club’s all-time goal scorer with 253 goals, admits he damaged the mobile before realising it belonged to academy kid Morrison and not one of his successful United first team pals.
Rooney told the Utd Podcast: “I remember I smashed his phone up at one point. 

“He came in the first team dressing room when he was in the reserves. My phone was on charge and he took it off and put his on. 
“It was when we had the old BlackBerries and it had the email address on the front.
“I thought it was one of the other lads so when I saw it was one of the reserve players I just smashed the phone up!”

Rooney cited Morrison, now 27 and at Dutch club ADO Den Haag, as the biggest disappointment not to make the grade at Old Trafford.
He added: “With the younger players it’s been well documented about Ravel Morrison.
“He was brilliant in training and then he had a few issues and it halted his career.
“We all thought he was going to be top level. Everyone could see those issues were going to be there. I spoke to him.
“Gary Neville was trying to get him to live with him. There were different things people tried.”
Rooney also revealed he nearly left Old Trafford for Chelsea and that there was strong interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona but a move to rivals Manchester City was never close to going through.

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OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER insists Manchester United’s home form is suffering because of an empty stadium.
They have not won any of their last six Premier League games at Old Trafford, losing three and drawing one this season as they prepare for the visit of West Brom.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must turn around Manchester United’s home form to push the side up the tableCredit: AFP or Licensors

And United boss Solskjaer said: “We’ve had four home games in the league. The first one we didn’t have any preparation and Palace deserved it.
“Then Anthony Martial did not deserve to be sent off against Tottenham but, after he was, they deserved the win.
“Then both the Chelsea and Arsenal games were very tight and if we had our fans might they might have sparked that little extra X Factor we needed.
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

“It’s a different sensation playing in front of the Stretford End without fans, they usually score a goal for us.
“It’s something we want to correct and hopefully we’ll get our first win against West Brom.”
Covid-19 restrictions have barred fans from stadiums in the top flight but there are moves to allow some back soon as long as they are socially distanced.
United believe they have everything in place to make that happen.

Solskjaer said: “It’s welcome news for the players and the club but the biggest plus is for fans to come and watch games again.

“Watching on TV is not the same as getting close contact with players you admire and adore, you’re a fan of a club for a reason, hopefully we can get back to that but it’s up to government and society get the rate down in general because it’s an issue.”
Solskjaer will be without Luke Shaw for the game against the Baggies after he suffered a hamstring injury last time out, and Mason Greenwood will again be missing as he recovers from illness.
But in assessing Greenwood’s form this season, Solskjaer says people need to take a longer look at just how far he has come in a short space of time.
He said: “You have to take a step back sometimes, the boy’s only 19, he’s had a fantastic year.

“If we go back a year I left him out of the Carabao Cup against Chelsea, so he could play against Doncaster in Checkatrade Trophy to get some game time, that’s how far he’s come.
“He has now scored 19 goals for the first team made his England debut and scored in first Under 21 game.
“Everyone’s allowed to not be well, he’s been away eight or nine days from training and we are building him up again. I have no doubts about him.
“He has a very good head on him and the talent is there for all to see.”

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MANCHESTER UNITED are sweating on the fitness of Marcus Rashford and several more stars ahead of Saturday’s game with West Brom.
The Baggies come to Old Trafford for an 8pm kick-off after the international break.

Marcus Rashford is one of several Manchester United stars fighting to be fitCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Chief among Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s concerns will be the availability of Rashford.
The striker, 23, injured his shoulder against Everton before the international break, forcing him to miss England’s Nations League games.
United will hope to have Rashford back for the weekend with Mason Greenwood also possibly in contention.
England bosses agreed not to select the youngster for either the senior or Under-21s meet-ups this week.

U21s boss Aidy Boothroyd admitted Greenwood ‘has had a lot of niggling injuries and a lot of things going on in his life’.
Eric Bailly has not featured since early October and is fighting to be fit for next weekend.
Ivory Coast did call up the defender for a double-header of AFCON qualifiers versus Madagascar, but he featured in neither game.
Solskjaer may need the centre-back to ease his defensive headache with Luke Shaw out until next month.

He picked up a hamstring problem against Everton, leading to the manager lambasting the Premier League’s fixture scheduling.
Therefore, it would be an ideal time for new signing Alex Telles to become available.
Yet the Brazilian, who missed four games with coronavirus, had again tested positive for the illness despite playing for his country last week.
United still hope that Telles will be free to play after a fresh negative test was most recently returned.
Phil Jones will not be able to fill in against West Brom while he continues to recover from a knee complaint.
But Jesse Lingard is expected to be fit having returned from a knock in recent weeks.

Luke Shaw came off injured in the recent win at EvertonCredit: Reuters

Alex Telles’ availability is in doubt after testing positive for coronavirus againCredit: AFP or licensors

Solskjaer will need all the help he can get with the Red Devils kicking off a fresh fixture pile-up on Saturday.
Istanbul Basaksehir and Paris Saint-Germain travel to Manchester for midweek Champions League games, either side of a trip to Southampton.
Two games a week will remain the order of the day right up through the Christmas period with Manchester City, Leeds, a Carabao Cup clash with Everton, and Leicester among the opponents on the horizon.

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MANCHESTER UNITED have been handed a blow with Luke Shaw out for up to six weeks.
The left-back picked up a knock in Saturday’s win at Everton, forcing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer into a substitution late in the game.

⚠️ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

Luke Shaw was forced off during Manchester United’s win at Everton on SaturdayCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

The defender is set to miss several games, including against West Ham, PSG, Man City and old club SouthamptonCredit: Getty – Pool
Shaw suffered a hamstring injury that could keep him out until Christmas.
The setback comes amid one of the 25-year-old’s longer runs in the United team.
Shaw had played every minute of the Premier League campaign until the injury.

The news comes after Red Devils boss Solskjaer had bemoaned the decision to put United on the Saturday lunchtime kick-off after their midweek trip to Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League.
He told BT Sport: “Our boys were set up to fail today with the scheduling.
“How can you expect players to perform with the 12.30pm kick off time? It’s an absolute joke.
“Of course we tried to move this game. What sense was there playing Saturday lunchtime when we could play Sunday because of the international break afterwards.

“I pushed my club to really fight on this one to give us half a chance. But it was just quashed and we were told, ‘No, it’s been selected’.”

Axel Tuanzebe came off the bench to see out the win at Goodison Park.
But the young defender will have to beat Alex Telles to earn a run in the side.
Having made his debut against Paris Saint-Germain last month, the Brazilian has sat out five matches due to a bout of coronavirus.
United next face West Brom once the fixture mayhem resumes after the international break, with five consecutive midweek games before the equally busy Christmas period.
Managers such as Jurgen Klopp have backed Solskjaer in his criticism of lunchtime kick-offs.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss England’s games this month after a knock against Manchester City, with Klopp stating: “The boys are on the edge.

These are difficult times for everyone, not just football, and we need to look after everyone.
Ole Gunnar Solskajer

“No team [playing] on a Wednesday night should have the 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday.
“Sunday – no problem. Not the 12.30pm because that is a complete killer. You wake up and play football. This is the recovery phase.
“The Premier League has to change. Sky, BT, you – everyone has to talk to each other. You want good football? Give the boys a few hours more rest.”
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola added that it was a ‘disaster’ that five subs were not allowed in English games.

Solskjaer said: “There have been too many serious injuries in the Premier League this season that can be from physical or mental fatigue.
“We want this product to be the best in the world. We don’t want it to harm any player. These are difficult times for everyone, not just football, and we need to look after everyone.
“Use common sense, and sort out the schedule. This is such a serious issue, that we don’t look after these players. They are not robots, they are human beings.”

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MANCHESTER UNITED are without a win at home in the Premier League this season – boasting the second-worst record of the division.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer received a vital shot in the arm with victory at Everton on Saturday.

⚠️ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

But it is at Old Trafford where the Red Devils must reignite their season, having claimed a single point in four league games.
Despite succumbing to Istanbul Basaksehir in the week, United’s campaign has been built around some away day magic.
Paris Saint-Germain were beaten in the Champions League with Everton joining Brighton and Newcastle in being defeated on their own patch.

The club’s success on the road only emphasises how tough they are finding in at home.
It is true that Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Crystal Palace is a tough set of teams to get the season underway against.
Yet even the most pessimistic of fans would have expected better than a lone draw against Frank Lampard’s Blues – plus the Champions League win over RB Leipzig.

Crystal Palace enjoyed their trip to Old Trafford in Manchester United’s opening gameCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Arsenal were the most recent side to take three points back southCredit: Getty – Pool
So far, United have conceded ten goals and managed just a pair of strikes in reply.

Donny van de Beek shot a consolation against Palace in an opening day 3-1 loss before Bruno Fernandes got the ball rolling from the penalty spot in the 6-1 defeat to Spurs.
The pressure will be on when West Brom, without a win all season, head to Manchester after the international break.
Manchester City, Leeds, Wolves and high-flying Aston Villa are the following visitors as the Premier League schedule refuses to allow much respite.
In a bonkers start to the season, five sides are still without a win at home.
Brighton, West Brom, Sheffield United and Burnley have also drawn a blank with Manchester City and Tottenham claiming just a single victory apiece.

That leaves the Red Devils second-bottom in the home form table – conceding the most goals.
Four sides, including United, Villa, Leicester and Spurs, boast 100 per cent records away from home in a sign that the lack of fans is continuing to have an impact on the entire division.
The home-away discrepancy had Solskjaer baffled after the recent defeat to Arsenal, although he dismissed suggestions of a mental block whenever his side take to the Theatre of Dreams.

The Norwegian stated: “I don’t think it’s a mental thing.
“Home and away form is out the window with no fans in the stadium. You can’t look at that.
“It doesn’t really mean too much. We played fantastic on Wednesday [beating RB Leipzig 5-0] and now we lose.”

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