Mourinho drops Rooney for Arsenal clash

A bad week for Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has worsened with Jose Mourinho dropping him for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal.

Rooney has been criticised by sections of British media after being photographed apparently drunk while on England duty last weekend.

Having started the win over Scotland, the England skipper subsequently missed the draw with Spain – citing a knee injury – and that may have factored in Mourinho’s thinking in replacing the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Marcus Rashford in United’s attack, while Anthony Martial has come in for the skipper.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese was scathing of the Football Association’s treatment of Rooney – who started United’s last league game at Swansea City – in the build-up to Saturday’s fixture.

“The only thing I say is the player goes to the national team, he belongs to the national team,” Mourinho said.

“I learned since I was a kid, if someone lends me something I have to take care of it even better than if it was mine.”