Saturday 24 September 2016 13:30, UK
Wayne Rooney's form has been hit because of criticism after England's World Cup qualifier in Slovakia, according to Jose Mourinho.
The Manchester United boss admitted his captain did not have "special privileges" and would be dropped if necessary.
Mourinho did just that for Saturday lunchtime's visit by champions Leicester, a match live on Sky Sports 1HD with Marcus Rashford preferred in attack.
While Rooney, who has not scored since the season-opener at Bournemouth, has dismissed much of his criticism as "rubbish", Mourinho believes the 30-year-old was lambasted unfairly after England's 1-0 win in Trnava on September 4 - Sam Allardyce's first match in charge of the national side.
Mourinho said: "Honestly, I think there was a Wayne before the Slovakia-England [game] and a Wayne after the Slovakia-England [game].
"I am not blaming Sam [Allardyce], not at all. I am blaming the people that after the England-Slovakia [game] were, in my opinion, too strong with somebody that is a very important player in the history of English football, is the captain of England, has the record of goals, is almost the record [holder] of matches [played].
"I think it was too much but I still think, a big boy like he is, he has to face it in a strong way. That's what he tries every time. When he is on the pitch he always gives 100 per cent, always."
The statistics back the claims of Mourinho. In the 267 minutes Rooney played in the Premier League before England's match with Slovakia, Rooney scored once and made two assists with an average of 45 passes per game.
After the Slovakia match, Rooney has failed to score for United and has not registered an assist with an average of 36 passes per game.
Prior to Saturday's match, Sky Sports football pundit Jamie Redknapp called for Rooney or Zlatan Ibrahimovic to be dropped in order to accommodate Rashford in United's starting line-up, and Mourinho says no player is exempt from not being selected.
"Sometimes you are the manager's captain because the manager likes you very much, sometimes you are the players' but not the manager's one," he added.
"He is my captain, he is the club captain, the players' captain and that is difficult because sometimes you are the club captain because you have lots of years in the club.
"Wayne is the captain of the club, the manager and the players. He is trusted by the players, he is trusted by myself and he represents the club in a fantastic way. But football is a different story.
We always love to have a go at Rooney, that's part and parcel of who he is, he is quick to be criticised. If Rooney is dropped there will be a fallout and it will be a huge story
"Football, everyone is the same, and if he has to go on the bench, he goes on the bench, if he has to stay at home, he stays at home. But that doesn't mean that you don't trust him or you have a problem with him.
"He is our captain, but of course, no privilege, he is like anyone else."
