Manchester United vs Leicester: Ray Parlour believes Jose Mourinho will leave 'big problem' Wayne Rooney out

Wayne Rooney is a “big problem” for Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, according to former Arsenal and England midfielder Ray Parlour, and this weekend’s Premier League clash against Leicester could be the final straw for the under-fire forward.

Parlour believes Mourinho could decide that Rooney no longer warrants a place in the United starting line-up, despite being club captain for the past two years. The England skipper has struggled throughout the start of the season, and United’s three-match losing streak – which came to an end in Wednesday’s 3-1 EFL Cup victory over Northampton Town – has coincided with the 30-year-old being moved from position to position.

Having been moved to a midfield role for the defeat by Watford last weekend, Rooney was then shifted forward to the lead striker role for the win over Northampton, although neither were deemed a success. With Mourinho looking to find the right balance in midfield and Marcus Rashford pushing to join Zlatan Ibrahimovic in attack, Rooney may well find himself out of the team this weekend.

That wouldn’t surprise Parlour, with the former Arsenal favourite admitting that a break could be the best thing for Rooney.

"I think Rooney is the big problem at the moment," Parlour told Sky Sports. "What does he [Mourinho] do with Wayne Rooney? Does he play him or not?

"I have got a funny feeling this might be the time that Rooney is left out, just to recharge his batteries and get him out of the focus a little bit, because he is the man at the moment who is getting the most criticism.”

The possibility of Rooney being left out of the starting line-up would stem from Mourinho deploying either Michael Carrick, Morgan Schneiderlin or Ander Herrera, and would see them joining Marouane Fellaini and world record signing Paul Pogba in midfield in an effort to find a balance that works for the rest of the side.

It’s something that Parlour believes needs to happen, and he feels the result will be £89m Pogba playing further up field where he has less responsibility to hold position defensively, given he has struggled to maintain his position alongside Fellaini.

"I think Michael Carrick or Morgan Schneiderlin will start, maybe alongside Marouane Fellani,” Parlour added.

"Paul Pogba maybe in the No 10 role, and then [Marcus] Rashford one side, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic will play, and then there is a space on the right-hand side.

"It is just getting the right balance now, which he [Mourinho] has not had in the last few games."

Parlour’s advice to Mourinho was to keep Carrick in the side at the expense of Rooney after he impressed in the EFL Cup third round victory, and his reasoning behind giving the veteran midfielder the nod was that he can offer something that Rooney, Schneiderlin and Herrera currently lack.

"I thought Michael Carrick was excellent in midfield as well,” he said. “What Carrick brings to your team, he can see a pass, and I think that is what has been lacking a little bit the last few games.

"Carrick is a one or two touch football man and he has got all the experience."