Manchester United news: Jose Mourinho warns Wayne Rooney he has a battle to get back in starting XI
JOSE MOURINHO warned Wayne Rooney he faces a big fight to get back into the Manchester United team.
Rooney, 30, was axed for United’s thumping of Premier League champs Leicester, but he did come on as an 83rd-minute substitute for Marcus Rashford.
It was the first time the Portuguese had left Roo out. But United’s chief says the hitman remains captain — even if he is not picked to play.
Mourinho said: “My captain is my captain, if he is on the pitch or if he is at home.
“Sometimes I feel like you think I know nothing about football, but I know the rules of the game and can only play 11.
“So until they change the rules, I start with 11.”
Mourinho claims Rooney’s form tailed off after he was slammed by England fans following his performance in the 1-0 win over Slovakia in a World Cup qualifier this month.
And Mourinho admitted he dropped Rooney because he is too slow to play alongside Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
He added: “When our main striker is Zlatan, we need fast people around him. Against Leicester that was the best solution for us.”