Sam Allardyce to Wayne Rooney: 'I make the decisions at Everton'

Sam Allardyce has confirmed that his decision to take Wayne Rooney off in the Merseyside derby was because Everton "needed more legs".

The Toffees took on Liverpool in Saturday's Premier League clash at Goodison Park but neither side could break the deadlock as the game finished goalless.

Rooney was substituted on 57 minutes, with Idrissa Gueye taking his place, and the former Manchester United man reacted angrily to Allardyce's decision.

The Everton boss was defiant following the game, claiming that he thought the substitution would help the team win and stressing that he is in charge.

"Dominating the last 15 minutes could have given us the opportunity to win it but we needed more legs," Allardyce told Sky Sports News. "That's the way the game goes.

"Wayne's bound to be disappointed to be brought off in a Merseyside derby but I make the decisions and I thought we did the right thing to make those changes to give us a better chance."

Everton remain ninth in the table, three points clear of 10th-placed Bournemouth, following the stalemate.