Rooney’s Derby hit by virus

WAYNE ROONEY and Derby’s entire first team will miss the club’s FA Cup third- round clash at non- League Chorley.

Interim Rams boss Rooney, below, heads a long list of Derby staff affected by a Covid- 19 outbreak threatening to run amok through the world’s most famous cup competition.

They will fulfil the fixture with players f from their U18 and U23 sides but Sh Shrewsbury might n not be so lucky.

They may have to forfeit their g glamour clash at So Southampton after seve several members of their first- first team squad and staff tested positive, althought the FA are trying to avoid this scenario.

The League One side’s inability to separate players could leave them unable to give safety assurances to a Southampton side who will have major concerns about hosting the match.

Derby have closed their Moor Farm training complex until next

Tuesday but it is understood that at least seven members of the Championship side’s first- team bubble have tested positive for the virus.

It is not clear whether Rooney is one of them but all members of the first team will ill go into selfisolation.

That has provided its own logistical al nightmare because six members of the U23 squad were promoted to train with the first team and also have to isolate.

Concerns that they would not be able to fulfil their trip to Victory Park were allayed after close consultation with the EFL and FA.

It is understood that development coaches Pat Lyons and Gary Bowyer, below, will take responsibility for the side. Rooney’s absence is a gut- wrencher for Chorley b boss Jamie Verm Vermiglio, who grew gre up a co couple of miles away from him in L Liverpool. Vermiglio an and his Nati National League North side do not want to play a second- string Derby team.

“We wanted to see Wayne walk into Victory Park,” said the primary school headteacher.

“He’s an absolute legend.”