Mourinho demands more goals from Rooney

Jose Mourinho has warned captain Wayne Rooney and Manchester United’s other goal-shy forwards that they must start doing more to lift the burden on Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Rooney has scored just three goals in 20 matches across all competitions this season and failed to add to his tally in Thursday’s Europa League contest against Zorya, which United won 2-0.

United have just 19 Premier League goals this season, with Ibrahimovic scoring eight of those, fewer than any other team in the top seven.

Red Devils manager Mourinho wants a better return from Rooney, who needs just one more goal to equal Bobby Charlton’s all-time goalscoring record at United, but says the onus is not just on the England skipper.

“As an attacking player, normally Rooney scores more goals,” Mourinho told reporters.

“He has scored a couple, I think, at Fenerbahce and one in the Premier League. We expect more goals from him, yes.

“But we expect more goals from everyone in the team. 

“Maybe Zlatan is the one, but as the main striker it is normal that he has scored more goals.

“But we expect more goals from all the other attacking players.”

Rooney has often been used in a deeper role for England, but Mourinho maintains he will not be following suit at Old Trafford.

“With me, he is an attacking player,” he added.

“In the national team, they can do with him what they want to do. In the national team he is their player, he is not my player, and they can do what they want. If they want to play him right-back, they can play him right-back. It’s not my problem.

“But in my team, he is an attacking player. He will play as a nine or a 10, or eventually coming from one of the sides.”

Meanwhile, UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Zorya in the wake of their defeat at the hands of United.

“Disciplinary proceedings have been opened following the Europa League group stage match between Zorya Luhansk and Manchester United (0-2), played on 8 December in Ukraine,” a UEFA statement read.

“Charges against Zorya Luhansk: Setting off of fireworks – Art. 16 (2) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR) Throwing of objects – Art. 16 (2) DR Field invasion – Art. 16 (2) DR Stairways blocked – Art. 38 of UEFA Safety & Security Regulations.”