As United prepares to face Premier League champion Leicester City at Old Trafford on Saturday, Rooney has admitted to the increased attention but denied it is affecting his form.
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“One team was Manchester United and another was managed by the worst manager in the history of football (Mourinho at Chelsea 2005-2006)”.
Record £29million signing Islam Slimani scored twice on his debut in last week’s 3-0 win over Burnley while Jamie Vardy scored 24 goals in their Premier League title win last season.
The current Manchester United boss has always had a soft spot for Rooney and had been biding his time to make a move at the right moment to sign the England captain.
Highlighting how things have changed, Ranieri described Mourinho as a “fantastic person”, named the 53-year-old when asked to single out the most influential player at Old Trafford and, drawing on his own experience, suggested that the United manager’s controversial decision to single out Luke Shaw for criticism following defeat at Watford last Sunday may have been meant to motivate the left-back.
“But the way we think in the group is everybody is involved in every match, even the ones who are not playing”. “It is something that is completely out of my control”. That is frustrating. The Einsteins need money to live. “They can speak, they can write, they can criticize the work of other people, but I am a good man”. Describing the United manager as a “fantastic person”, the Italian dismissed suggestions there remained any bad blood between the two of them. “But I like him, I like Sir Alex, I like Man United and I believe the best thing for him is to stay there for life”. Rooney has hit back at his knockers, however, telling MUTV: “I don’t really listen to what a lot of people out there are saying, because a lot of it is rubbish”. “It’s normal (now). I love red wine, and if he offers I will go and drink it with him”. “Why not also help feed the Einsteins”.
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“I think it is obviously very hard to retain the title – not for Leicester, for everybody”.
