FA contacts Rooney over claim he wanted to injure opponent in 2006 match

Manchester United's English striker Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring during a UEFA Chamions league group stage football match between CSKA Moscow and Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England on November 3, 2015. AFP PHOTO

The English Football Association (FA) has sought observations from Derby County manager Wayne Rooney after he said in a recent interview that as a player he wanted to injure an opponent during a game in 2006, British media reported.

Former Manchester United forward Rooney told the Mail On Sunday that he wore longer studs in a game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge because he "wanted to hurt someone".

"I changed my studs before the game," Rooney said. "I put longer studs in because I wanted to hurt someone."

"The studs were legal," he added. "They were a legal size. But they were bigger than what I would normally wear."

Rooney and John Terry clashed during the game, with the Chelsea defender receiving treatment.

United lost the match 3-0, with Chelsea winning the league that season. (Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru.