Mourinho expects more goals from misfiring Rooney

Since entering the twilight of his career, Wayne Rooney has been breaking goalscoring records at both international and club level, but his manager at Manchester United, Jose Mourinho, has identified a slump from his captain.

Without a goal in the Premier League since the opening day win over Bournemouth, Rooney has been a prime scapegoat for United's modest 19 top-flight strikes. It's a tally that's eclipsed by 14th-placed Crystal Palace (24), and has seen just one win in its last eight.

Mourinho think it's time for his skipper to step up.

"As an attacking player, normally (Rooney) scores more goals," Mourinho told ESPN FC's Mark Ogden. "He 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."

It's not just Rooney who's been singled out for criticism over his flaccid outings in attack. Zlatan Ibrahimovic didn't trouble the scoresheet over October and much of the preceding month, Anthony Martial has just one league goal, but, most ruinously, there have been scant offerings from the midfield players.

"Maybe Zlatan is the one, but as the main striker it is normal that he has more goals scored," Mourinho added. "But all the other attacking players, we expect more goals from them."

As Rooney's years have begun to dwindle, managers have tried to reimagine him in other roles. Roy Hodgson infamously tried to deploy him as a holding midfielder for England, prompting criticism, but his most common task is as a No. 10, a role which sees him vie with Juan Mata for minutes at United.

"In the national team, they can do with him what they want to do," said Mourinho. "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."

Rooney played 70 minutes of Thursday's 2-0 Europa League win at Zorya Luhansk, managing one shot on target, and will be hoping for inclusion in Sunday's marquee matchup with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.