Manchester United manager David Moyes has no plans to give Wayne Rooney a rest just yet.
Moyes is keeping a close eye on the England international, looking
for signs his standards might be slipping after a congested recent run
of fixtures.
So far, the indications are all positive.
Rooney has been United's stand-out performer so far this season and
claimed four assists in his side's Champions League hammering of Bayer
Leverkusen on Wednesday.
So, while Moyes accepts it will be hard to keep up such a level of
performance indefinitely, there is no need to take Rooney out of the
firing line.
"There will be times when we do have to try and look after him," Moyes told national newspapers.
"At the moment he doesn't need it.
"I look for any signs of a dip. If I saw them, I would probably look to do so.
"It doesn't need to be just now. A lot of other clubs are playing their players continuously.
"We can rotate but I will wait.
"If it doesn't come around and I don't need to, I won't do it."
Moyes' predecessor, Sir Alex Ferguson, was of the opinion that Rooney needed to keep playing matches to maintain his condition.
It is a view Moyes shares.
"He is a boy who continually gets better in the games he plays," said the Scot.
"The point I am making is that I want to keep him playing as well as he is doing.
"If he keeps doing it I don't need to worry."
Rooney's performances have ensured last season's Golden Boot winner
Robin van Persie has not been missed as much as he would have been if he
suffered the same groin injury troubling him now 12 months ago.
Indeed, Moyes seems to have moved the 28-year-old England striker onto a whole new level.
Rooney is even taking the responsibility of set-piece delivery. And doing rather well judging by his efforts in Germany.
"He works with (assistant manager) Steve Round on his set-pieces just about every day," said Moyes.
"He takes his time about it.
"Technically they are trying to look at how they can do it even better.
"But it is Wayne. It is his enthusiasm."
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