Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow team news: Wayne Rooney starts up front again despite goal drought

Goal drought: Manchester United have not scored in three consecutive matches
Vaishali Bhardwaj3 November 2015

Wayne Rooney starts up front again for Manchester United for tonight's Champions League clash at home to CSKA Moscow, as Louis van Gaal's side looked to get back to winning ways.

Van Gaal’s side have failed to score in their last three consecutive matches, including the Capital One Cup defeat to Middlesbrough which also saw Rooney miss in the penalty shoot-out at Old Trafford.

But speaking ahead of tonight’s match, Van Gaal insisted that he ‘still has confidence’ in his captain.

He told reporters: "Wayne Rooney is a fantastic player so expectation is much higher than another player in another club, but you have to also give players time to come back in a certain shape and that is what we are doing and I have confidence in this player but he gives also more than only scoring goals.

All in all, the Dutchman has made three changes to the side that played out the goalless draw away to Crystal Palace, with Ashley Young, Michael Carrick and Jesse Lingard coming in for Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera.

The sides played out a 1-1 draw when they met in Moscow a fortnight ago, with Anthony Martial’s second-half strike salvaging a point for the Red Devils, who now sit joint-second in Group B alongside the Russian side.

Elsewhere, group leaders Wolfsburg travel to Eindhoven to take on PSV, with the Eredivisie outfit sat in fourth spot with just three points from the matches so far.

TEAMS IN FULL:

Manchester United starting XI: De Gea; Young, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Schweinsteiger, Carrick; Lingard, Mata, Martial; Rooney

Substitutes: Romero, Jones, Darmian, Pereira, Herrera, Memphis, Fellaini.

CSKA Moscow starting XI: TBC

Substitutes: TBC

Manchester United training in the fog

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WHAT THEY SAID

Van Gaal: "I have seen periods and tendencies in Manchester United like in other clubs. It was not always the big Theatre of Dreams," the United manager said.

"I am sorry to say that, but it is logical also so now we are making hopefully history but it takes time."

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