Mourinho hints at West Ham start for Mkhitaryan

The United captain denied attending a wedding at the team’s Grove Hotel when he was photographed out late the night after victory in a World Cup qualifier over Scotland. He’s shown tonight that it doesn’t bother him.

Jones says the players are right behind Mourinho despite his habit of often singling players out for public criticism if results are bad.

The United skipper told BT Sport: “I think people in the media (are) making a big deal over nothing”.

It was a great response from Rooney after a tough week off the pitch, with the goal also moving him to within one of Sir Bobby Charlton’s club goals record of 249.

Yet despite Thursday night’s win the United skipper simmered with dissatisfaction at the post-match press conference when the talk turned from his goal-scoring feats to the recent lurid headlines suggesting he had drunkenly gate-crashed a wedding. We scored four, but we missed three or four chances. “You never know what can happen”.

Further goals by Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard and a Brad Jones own goal completed a win that left United a point below Group A leaders Fenerbahce in second place ahead of their final game at Zorya Luhansk.

“As a person he’s fantastic, I have the luck to get to know the person”, Ibrahimovic added of Rooney.

The Armenia worldwide joined United from Borussia Dortmund during the close-season for a reported £26 million, but has struggled to live up to the high expectations.

“He now needs to replicate this kind of performance in the Premier League”, said Mourinho, whose side host West Ham on Sunday. He needs one more step.

“So I think it is just that – but that has also to be with confidence levels. The players are enjoying playing football and winning games and that’s what we need to do win more games”. We coped very well with the pressure on our shoulders – it was a good solid performance. “So good for him, the performance was good”.

United are now sixth on the table ahead of this weekend’s game at home to West Ham, after winning just five of 12 league fixtures. 4-0 is a big defeat. “It’s flawless for him to be here for 18 months more and then he owns the decision on his future”.

“But let’s try to qualify and if we qualify in Ukraine, then more matches to come and hopefully more goals for Rooney to score”. You wanted to see Mkhitaryan and I wanted to too.