Wayne Rooney Comments on 'Rubbish' Criticism of Manchester United Performances

Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has shrugged off the criticism he's received in recent months, branding much of it as "rubbish." 

Speaking on MUTV show Thursday Focus, the United captain told presenters Helen Evans and David May (via Adam Marshall of United's official website):

"

I think I’ve had that my whole career—a little bit more of late, I think, but that’s football. I listen to my coaches and my team-mates, the people around me, and I don’t really listen to what a lot of people out there are saying because a lot of it is rubbish. 

I have to focus, work hard, of course, and I’ve done that throughout my career. I’ve worked hard and tried to do my best for the team. 

I’ve done that [played in different positions] throughout my career. I feel I can play in all positions but I think the manager has made it clear either I’ll play up front or in the No. 10 and that’s where he sees me playing. As I said before, it’s not just myself—the whole team is going in and working hard. We had a bad week but we’ve been working hard to put that right.

"

Rooney played 90 minutes as a striker in the 3-1 EFL Cup win against Northampton Town on Wednesday, but he struggled to make a positive impact against the League One outfit.

As noted by Rob Dawson and Stuart Mathieson of the Manchester Evening News, the match presented the England international with a significant opportunity to regain some form and confidence:

However, despite the lower calibre of opposition, the 30-year-old failed to impress with virtually any aspect of his game—his movement was slow and ponderous, his passing wasteful and his first touch frequently subpar.

His evening was summarised by a glaring miss in the early stages, footage courtesy of Sky Sports Football:

The MEN's Hesham Bilal-Hafiz pulled no punches in his assessment of the striker's performance:

The spotlight will be on Rooney once again on Saturday, when United host Leicester City at Old Trafford.

It's not an exaggeration to suggest the Premier League champions will be hoping to see his name on the teamsheet—the former Everton forward is a hindrance to United when in such poor form.

Not only does he frequently cause attacks to break down by giving the ball away, but he also stifles two of United's most important players—Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba—by getting in their way when the former drops deep to collect the ball or the latter pushes forward.

While manager Jose Mourinho could risk the ire of his players by leaving out a key figure such as Rooney—and dropping him would seemingly confirm the validity of the recent criticism—it's difficult to see the Red Devils building any real momentum with him in the side.

The Special One hasn't shied away from big decisions previously in his career, and he has another one to make on Saturday.