Wayne Rooney visit does not require extra security, say Everton

Wayne Rooney had received a less hostile reception on his last visit to Everton after conciliatory words towards his former club Photograph: Adam Davy/Empics Sport
Everton have no special plans to increase security at Goodison Park on account of Wayne Rooney on Saturday, when the Manchester United striker is expected to make his first appearance in the Premier League since allegations were published about his private life.


Rooney's England team-mate and Everton defender Phil Jagielka has warned the 24-year-old to expect another hostile reception when he returns to face his boyhood club at the end of a week when he has dominated many newspapers' front pages. "He normally gets quite a bit of stick anyway and I can't see that changing on Saturday," said Jagielka.

Everton, however, see no reason to bolster the security presence at Goodison on the basis of allegations that are unconnected to football and concern a former player's private life. The visit of Manchester United is one of two "Category A" league matches that warrant an increase in police numbers at Goodison every season – city rivals Liverpool being the other – but that has been the practice since before Rooney left for Old Trafford in 2004.

With matches against Rangers and Liverpool to follow his latest Everton reunion, Rooney faces several uncomfortable appearances in the coming days. His last appearance at Goodison, ironically, marked a thawing in relations between Rooney and Everton when, after conciliatory words from the player towards his former club and David Moyes, plus the Everton manager towards Rooney, his reception lacked the venom of previous years.

Despite the latest allegations against the Croxteth-born star it is highly unlikely that he will be treated to the same levels of abuse on Saturday that followed his acrimonious £27m transfer six years ago.