Southgate drops Rooney midfield hint

Stand-in England manager Gareth Southgate hinted on Monday that he will ask captain Wayne Rooney to continue playing in midfield for his country.

Rooney, 30, has started Manchester United's last three games on the bench amid an ongoing debate about the best place for him to play as his physical powers wane.

Both club manager Jose Mourinho and Sam Allardyce, Southgate's short-lived predecessor, announced plans to deploy him as a No 10, although they then used him in more withdrawn midfield roles.