Herrera: Rooney still important if he does not score

Ander Herrera insists Wayne Rooney remains a key
figure for Manchester United even if he does not score
goals.

Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has expressed his
admiration for Wayne Rooney and has stressed the attacker is
important for the team regardless of whether he scores or not.

Rooney has been struggling to find his best form this campaign
and has received his fair share of criticism in recent weeks
following his profligacy in front of goal.

Nevertheless, the England international helped United to a vital
1-0 Champions League win over CSKA Moscow on Tuesday
with a fine header and Herrera has nothing but praise for his
team-mate.

"Of course there was relief, but Wayne is one of our most
important players. He's our leader, our captain, and we're happy
when he scores. When he doesn't score, he fights for the team
and that helps a lot as well," Herrera told the official United
website.

"He's very important, and I think he has a very strong mind.

When he doesn't score, he keeps fighting in the same way, and
that's important for us.

"I always say the same: he's one of the best players in the
world, one of the stars, and he's not selfish. For us, it's very
important when he feels good. When he scores, of course it's
better for everyone, but if not he still fights.

"I can only say what I see, and what I see is that he gives
everything. We say the same thing every day: he does a lot of
things for the club and the team. Of course he's one of the best
in the world, his trajectory is unbelievable.

"The way he fights, the way he trains and the way he gives his
opinion to the other players. Maybe those on the outside only
see what's on the pitch, but he's also very important off it."

Rooney has scored seven goals in 17 appearances in all
competitions for United this term.