Wayne Rooney 'livid' as former Man Utd star threatens ex-Liverpool man Andy Carroll with legal action over England drinking claims

The dispute centres around Carroll’s soon-to-be-released autobiography, Owning It. In the book, the former Newcastle United and Liverpool forward alleges that Rooney would regularly invite international team-mates into his hotel room for beers and cigarettes while away on England duty.

These allegations have prompted a fierce response from the former Manchester United striker. According to The Sun, Rooney's legal team has sent a formal, strongly worded letter to the book's publishers demanding that the claims be completely withdrawn, viewing the stories as entirely false.

Carroll's book paints a vivid picture of these alleged gatherings. He wrote that Rooney "would be surrounded by cartons of fags, crates of lager and bottles of wine" delivered by hotel management, although he stressed that "no one got smashed".

Rooney quickly rejected this version of events in a statement to The Sun. "I don’t normally comment on falsehoods written about me - but I will address this one," he stated. "Andy knows that he and I never really socialised. I bumped into him once, coincidentally, while on a holiday - but that’s about it. As for this ‘tale’ about me drinking on England duty, it’s a fabrication. I don’t know where the story comes from. It’s disappointing."

An insider close to Rooney told the publication that he is "livid" and felt the claims "crossed the line" as a matter of principle. Meanwhile, a source close to Carroll insisted the striker is "beyond baffled" by the backlash and "won't be bullied into changing his version" of the night simply because it is now being disputed.

The two forwards briefly shared the international stage, featuring as England team-mates between 2010 and 2012. Despite playing together in fixtures against Ukraine and Italy, their on-pitch partnership totalled just 64 minutes.

What started as a colourful anecdote to promote a new book has now escalated into a serious dispute. The report suggests Carroll did not expect such a severe reaction from his former colleague and is now "spiralling" over the unexpected fallout.

The situation now rests on whether the publishers agree to retract the disputed passages. According to sources speaking to The Sun, Carroll may be forced to issue a public apology to avoid a costly legal battle, leaving the ball firmly in his court regarding how the book's release proceeds.