The forward, who has hit back at his critics, was in good form for United prior to the global break, having scored and assisted a goal apiece in his club side’s first three Premier League games.
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However, former top-level players such as Alan Shearer have suggested United manager Jose Mourinho should think of dropping Rooney.
Underfire Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney said on Thursday he shuts his ears to criticism of his performances coming from outside the club. “I am blaming the people who, after the England-Slovakia were, in my opinion, too strong with somebody that is a very important player in the history of English football”, Mourinho said. He’s also right that expectations were probably too high after their strong start. When he is on the pitch, he gives 100%.
The attention on him ratcheted up a notch on the eve of Leicester’s visit to Old Trafford after a new biography about Mourinho put his fractious relationship with Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger under the spotlight. “I am sure you can tell at the outside just what we have achieved since he has been here”.
Mourinho insisted Friday he was “upset with nothing” and was a “lucky guy”, saying his only gripe was what he perceived as unfair criticism of his players from outsiders.
Manchester United, on the other hand, are in uncharted territory, with the possibility of back-to-back home defeats against another title challenger and Mourinho losing three league games in a row for only the second time in his career. “He (Mourinho) is a great manager, a fantastic person, and I wish him all the best, not on Saturday but after Saturday of course”.
Jose Mourinho was unequivocal when asked what he wanted from Wayne Rooney ahead of Manchester United’s EFL Cup tie at Northampton, midweek.
Luke Shaw (groin) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (thigh) are back in contention for the squad, but Phil Jones (knee) remains absent. “He is my captain, he is the club captain, he is the players’ captain and that is hard because sometimes you are the club captain because you have lots of years in the club”.
The absence through injury of Anthony Martial means there is one fewer player competing with Rooney for a starting position on Saturday though. But football is a different story. If you start thinking about every single comment, you’d go insane and can’t play football.
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“We have no problems”.
