Jose Mourinho expects more goals from Wayne Rooney

Jose Mourinho has challenged Wayne Rooney to score more goals for Manchester United after saying only Zlatan Ibrahimovic is living up to expectations with his strike-rate this season.

United face Tottenham on Sunday having scored just 19 goals in the Premier League this term, with Rooney failing get on the scoresheet in the league since the opening weekend victory against Bournemouth.

The United captain, who is now just one goal short of equalling Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time record of 249 for the club, has scored just three in all competitions this season and Mourinho wants the 31-year-old to rediscover his form to help alleviate the burden on Ibrahimovic.

"As an attacking player, normally he [Rooney] scores more goals," Mourinho said after United's 2-0 Europa League victory against Zorya Luhansk in Odessa. "He scored a couple, I think, at Fenerbahce and one in the Premier League.

"We expect more goals from him, yes, but we expect more goals from everyone in the team.

"Maybe Zlatan is the one, but as the main striker it is normal that he has more goals scored. But all the other attacking players, we expect more goals from them."

Rooney's goal drought has coincided with uncertainty over his best position, with England managers Roy Hodgson, Sam Allardyce and Gareth Southgate all using the player in a deeper role this year.

The England captain has even been used as a deep-lying midfielder on the international stage, but Mourinho said: "With me, he is an attacking player.

"In the national team, they can do with him what they want to do. In the national team he is their player, he is not my player, and they can do what they want.

"If they want to play him right-back, they can play him right-back. It's not my problem, but in my team, he is an attacking player -- he will play as a nine or a 10, or eventually coming from one of the sides."

Having secured a place in the last 32 of the Europa League with the victory against Zorya, United remain alive in four competitions this season.

Mourinho said progress is being made by his team, but admits the lack of goals is the key issue to rectify.

"I think the team is playing very well," he said. "I think the team is playing very well and probably the Ukrainians fan did not see the best Manchester United of the season.

"Because the best Manchester United of the season was the team that played the last four, five or six matches in the Premier League, and managed one victory and four or five draws.

"We are playing very, very well, but we need more goals."

Wayne Rooney deserves more respect - Zlatan Ibrahimovic

 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic assisted Wayne Rooney's opener and Rooney set up Mata for the second. Reuters

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney is "the perfect player" and deserves more respect, after the England captain broke the club's European goalscoring record in a 4-0 win over Feyenoord.

Rooney, 31, scored his 39th European goal as United won to ensure that a point in their final group game at Zorya Luhansk will take them into the last 32 of the Europa League.

It comes after Rooney, who is one goal away from matching Sir Bobby Charlton's club record of 249 goals, defended himself following criticism of his conduct while on England duty.

"He is a fantastic person," Ibrahimovic, who assisted Rooney's opener, told BBC Sport. "I am happy he broke the record. But I will help him to go one more. That I see as the real record."

Rooney apologised last week for "inappropriate" pictures of him at a wedding at the national team's hotel during the international break.

But on Saturday he said the reporting showed "a lack of respect", adding: "It feels as if the media are trying to write my obituary."

He was annoyed to be asked about it again after the Feyenoord game, saying: "All that's created by people like yourself asking questions, making a big deal out of nothing.

"I didn't set foot in the wedding and it's a shame to have to speak about it on nights like this."

Ibrahimovic said: "I think when you are famous like that, people are interested. They want to know everything.

"We should appreciate him for the player he is, what he did. I don't see many players from England who have had the same career as him. They should show more respect for him. Everybody wants to make a little thing a big thing."

Manager Jose Mourinho said: "People like him doesn't need to answer any more, just enjoy a few more years of his career and playing the best he can."

Lack of pace kept Rooney on the bench

Jose Mourinho explained that a lack of pace was the key reason why captain Wayne Rooney did not start in Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic suspended for the match, Mourinho turned to Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford instead of utilising Rooney's big-game experience.
Juan Mata gave the Red Devils the lead before French striker Olivier Giroud came off the bench to score a late equaliser for the visitors.
Rooney did come on as a substitute in the 63rd minute for Martial but failed to help United to victory.
"I thought we were going to have the ball," Mourinho said. "Arsenal are a team who let their opponents play.
"I thought we would have space and the ball would arrive quite easily to the attacking players.
"I believed ones like Mata, Martial and Rashford were faster than Wayne, better attacking opponents one to one in the last line. I thought it was the best option."

Man United's next league assignment will be against West Ham United at Old Trafford on Nov. 28.

Photos: Manchester United squad at Unicef dinner

Memphis Depay, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan

In the wake of the disappointing 0-0 draw with Burnley last Saturday, Manchester United squad were in high spirits at a charity dinner on Monday night, the 17th annual United for Unicef gala dinner.

Mourinho donates his watch for auction at the annual United for UNICEF dinner at Old Trafford

Mourinho auctioned off the clothes he was wearing when he was unveiled as United's new manager in July - before taking off his watch to auction as a special last-minute lot.

Mourinho said: "Charity is one of the amazing things in society and I have always been very supportive of Unicef. You know that the money is going to the right place and is going to make a big difference.

"Tonight the money is going to help children in Thailand so we know that we are going to contribute to a better future - I think it is difficult to have a better feeling than that."

'The Mourinho Collection' raised more than £30,000 with the evening producing more than £215,000 in funds for Unicef.

But while there was a serious side to the occasion, Manchester United forward Memphis Depay entertained his followers on Snapchat with some hilarious images and videos.

The Dutchman used filters to poke fun at himself and team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan and also got into the Halloween spirit by turning Marouane Fellaini into a vampire bat!

He also mocked Paul Pogba for spilling some drink on his dinner suit.

Other members of the first-team squad in attendance included forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford - who was celebrating his 19th birthday.

Former Germany international Bastian Schweinsteiger was also present on the day he trained with the first-team squad for the first time this season.

 

Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Timothy Fosu-Mensah

Wayne Rooney arrives at the annual United for UNICEF dinner at Old Trafford