Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho wants to protect Wayne Rooney from a below-par performance against Zorya on Thursday, after the 30-year-old missed training this week.
The England captain has come under intense fire in recent weeks for his disappointing performances over the last couple of months.
Mourinho was the man to finally drop the axe on the Manchester United skipper, after he was left out of the starting eleven for the home win against reigning champions Leicester City last week.
It appeared to bring the best out of his teammates, as they cruised to a 4-1 victory after netting all their goals in a dominating first-half performance.
Speaking ahead of their Europa League game on Thursday – a match many thought Rooney would return for – Mourinho confirmed the forward was suffering with a back problem and the Red Devils boss would only play him if he was 100% fit.
“I haven’t decided if he will start,” Mourinho told reporters at his press conference on Wednesday. “He didn’t train yesterday. He had a back problem.
“I want to protect him, he can’t afford a bad performance. If he is not totally ready he won’t start.”
It remains to be seen what Rooney’s future is at Manchester United under Mourinho, but it seems extremely bleak at the moment for the former Everton forward.
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