Family matters: Wayne Rooney dropped from Manchester United game after Boxing Day dinner with Coleen

Wayne Rooney was dropped from Manchester United’s team against Blackburn yesterday and ordered to pay a six-figure fine after a bust-up with manager Alex Ferguson.
In their star striker’s absence, Rooney’s team crashed to an unexpected 2-3 home defeat.
The row erupted, according to sources, because the 26-year-old striker and wife Coleen went out for a Boxing Day dinner with teammates celebrating United’s 5-0 win over Wigan earlier that day.

But when Ferguson, who was 70 yesterday, heard about the night out, he is said to have ordered Rooney into his office for a dressing down.

The three players were told to do extra training on Wednesday – their day off. Then, on Friday night, Rooney was informed he and his two team-mates would be dropped for the home fixture against Blackburn Rovers, and that
he had been hit with the huge financial penalty.

While the rest of the United squad spent yesterday morning preparing for the lunchtime kick-off, Rooney, Evans and Gibson were told they would be doing more extra training.
The striker was said last night to be ‘bemused’ and ‘furious’ over Sir Alex’s reaction and to believe he had been treated unfairly. As United crashed to defeat, speculation grew that the row between the England star and Sir Alex could put his future at Manchester United in jeopardy
Rooney and Ferguson’s relationship looked beyond repair 14 months ago after Rooney told Ferguson he no longer wanted to play for United. Rooney released a statement, saying his decision was based on ambition and it seemed certain he would leave Old Trafford.

But within days, Rooney had made a dramatic U-turn and agreed to a contract extension that tied him to the club until 2015.
Manchester United did not respond to questions about the row last night.