Manchester United Aren't Playing Well Enough to Stop Wayne Rooney's Derby Return

Wayne Rooney's place in the Manchester United team should be under threat. With the attacking players at Old Trafford, a player, even one with Rooney's ability, shouldn't be able to miss three games and then walk straight back in.

But if the England striker is passed fit after his injury scare this week, he will almost certainly start against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. 

It won't be because he's scored more goals in Manchester derbies than anyone else. It won't even be because he's already scored six goals for club and country this season without playing particularly well.

He'll get straight back into the team because the performances haven't been good enough to keep him out.

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Rooney's expected return is proof that things aren't quite clicking for Louis van Gaal's new-look team. There have been some positive signs, flashes of flowing attacking football against QPR, Leicester, West Ham, Everton and Chelsea. But there have been worrying moments in most games, too.

Juan Mata was the one to benefit from Rooney's suspension. Left on the bench for the games against Leicester and West Ham, the Spaniard started against Everton, West Brom and Chelsea while Rooney sat in the stands.

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But he hasn't taken his chance. As United chased equalisers against West Brom and Chelsea, he was hauled off. In the team to create chances and break down defences, he's struggled to do it regularly. 

Against Chelsea, he was responsible for one neat lay-off for Angel Di Maria to shoot over the bar, but that was about it. It says a lot that, after 67 minutes, Van Gaal had seen enough and brought on 18-year-old James Wilson instead. It's difficult to see him keeping his place for such a big game with Rooney breathing down his neck. 

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There's a lot of competition for places at Old Trafford now, especially in the attacking positions. Radamel Falcao, Robin van Persie, Di Maria, Mata and Rooney are among the best forwards in the world. But Van Gaal can't play them all. 

Should Falcao and Rooney be passed fit, the Dutchman will have them all available against City on Sunday.

If United had been playing well, winning game after game without Rooney, Van Gaal would have had a decision to make.

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It's not easy to leave out your captain, but the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has always maintained the needs of the team come first. And why change a winning team?

But with their new signings and a new manager with new ideas, United haven't jelled quite yet. And it's likely Rooney will get another chance to prove he's the missing piece of the puzzle.