Saturday 9 April 2016 11:23, UK
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says he is counting on striker Wayne Rooney to give the club a lift in the final few matches of the season.
Despite a slightly up-and-down season, United are still in the FA Cup and the race for a Champions League finish, and England captain Rooney is closing in on a return to action.
The 30-year-old has missed nearly two months with a knee injury but is training again and will turn out for the U21 side when they play Middlesbrough at Old Trafford.
And, asked if Rooney might provide a spark in the final weeks, Van Gaal said on Friday: "I hope so! I am counting on him.
"I have said that to him already, but you have to be fit in the first place. Secondly, I have to compare him with the players who have played.
"We are communicating every day with each other. He knows also my philosophy. Everybody knows that.
"We communicate every day with him and I communicate with the doctor, with the player, and then we make a game plan.
"It's not hard because I do that with every player and Wayne is very open for me."
Van Gaal added that Rooney has been impressing in training and may not be too rusty when he returns to action.
"I cannot say that because, when I saw him training yesterday, for example, he scored a goal," said the United boss.
"He made a fantastic chip over the goalkeeper. It was his first training session and then I said to him 'I have never seen that this season!'
"So I cannot say that, because he can be so good that I shall be forced to give him a position in the team.
"But it depends on what we are seeing, and today was another day. There's tomorrow also.
"Let's wait. He plays 60 minutes at a lower level and maybe he can play against West Ham United [in the FA Cup quarter-final replay next Wednesday], you never know."
