Rooney backs RVP for award

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney expects Arsenal’s Robin van Persie to be crowned the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

Rooney, who is also nominated, won the award in 2010 but says it is ‘more than likely’ that Van Persie will be the recipient this year.

“It is nice to be nominated,” Rooney told MUTV. “Obviously it’s a great award to win so and it’s your work throughout the season that gets you into that position. But more than likely, Van Persie will win it.”

Rooney has not performed as well as he would have liked this season despite being three goals short of his best ever scoring tally with a handful of games to play.

“I have always said I don’t just play football to score goals,” he said.

“I like to enjoy the games and play well. Coming off the pitch on Sunday I felt it wasn’t my best performance and watching the game back it wasn’t.

“I am quite critical of myself. That is one of the things that keeps me going.”

Rooney’s team-mate Ashley Young has been in the spotlight over past few weeks after he was accused of diving to win penalties against QPR and Aston Villa.

However, Rooney has played down suggestions that Young has cheated, and believes the intense level of scrutiny which has followed both incidents is down to the fact that he plays for Manchester United.

“It’s been exaggerated because Ashley is a United player,” he said.

“Whatever happens at our club gets more press than it would if it were another player at another team.

“At times you are trying to get out of the way of being kicked and people think you have dived.

“The game is so quick these days it’s difficult for the referee to get some of those decisions right.”