Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho set to keep Wayne Rooney on the bench against Zorya Luhansk

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This was not a classic Jose Mourinho threat, more an admission that the escalating scrutiny Wayne Rooney faces is something the Manchester United manager is acutely aware of.

A decision on whether Rooney will start against Zorya Luhansk in the Europa League at Old Trafford has been delayed, for two reasons.

First, Rooney did not train on Tuesday owing to a back complaint. 

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney was in high spirits during training on Wednesday

United manager Jose Mourinho is yet to make a decision on whether the striker will play

Mourinho may turn once more to Marcus Rashford to kick-start his side's European campaign

Second — and perhaps more significantly — Mourinho believes his captain must sparkle the next time he pulls on a United jersey.

‘I think he really can’t afford to have a performance that is not really good,’ Mourinho said before a Europa League Group A clash he insisted his side must win.

‘Today was the first time he had a training session with the other players and that is the training session where the intensity and the complexity is obviously reduced because we have a game tomorrow. I’m here to protect him and not to put him in difficult situations.’

‘I was completely convinced about playing him from the beginning (but) with his situation in the last couple of days I’m not sure I will do that because of the situation you create for him. 

Rooney has recently been struggling with a back complaint as well as his poor form

Mourinho has called on Rooney to produce a good performance should he be selected

Anthony Martial (third left) is another United player whose displays have been disappointing

‘I have to analyse if the best thing for him is to start the game (or) if he is not totally ready for it. So I’m going to discuss that with him and the medical staff.’

Rooney is in the squad to face a side who held Fenerbahce to a 1-1 draw a fortnight ago and who sit second in Ukraine’s Premier League, ahead of Dynamo Kiev.

It appears he remained vocal in the United dressing room despite being dropped for the weekend 4-1 win against Leicester City and team-mate Jesse Lingard believes that will ‘never change’, even if his role becomes redefined.

‘Wayne is a top-class professional, a top-class player,’ Lingard said. ‘He’s still got many, many years to go. 

United lost their first Europa League group game and they need a win against Zorya Luhansk

Paul Pogba scored his first goal since moving to United for a world record fee against Leicester

Rooney will be only too aware that he cannot afford another below par display on Thursday

‘He’s an inspirational guy and a leader. He’s always going to be the same Wayne Rooney, the leader.

‘For every player, you’ve got to bounce back and I think he’ll do that. Obviously against Leicester the manager switched up the team, gave it a different dynamic, and we won the game but, with or without him, we are going to do the best we can as a team. We are a team and we’re going to stick together.’

Whether Rooney starts or not, United are treating tonight’s game with the utmost importance.

Mourinho insists only a win will do if they want to progress further after the defeat by Feyenoord in Rotterdam in their first group game. 

‘It’s very important,’ said the manager. ‘If we don’t win we have four matches and I would say we have to win all the last four matches, which is difficult.’ Two different members of his backroom staff have travelled to watch a couple of Zorya’s recent games as United leave nothing to chance.

But they will again be without Henrikh Mkhitaryan — not yet ready for a return — while Luke Shaw was sent home ill from training.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been leading the way for United with four Premier League goals

aley Blind, Morgan Schneiderlin and David De Gea enjoy a training session at the Aon Complex

Belgian Marouane Fellaini is an option in the centre of midfield for the Red Devils on Thursday

Anthony Martial is fit after an injury sustained at Watford — Mourinho was again at pains to point out he did not suffer concussion — while special praise was reserved for midfielder Juan Mata.

Mata’s quality, Mourinho explained, is heightened given the way in which United’s style differs from Chelsea’s, where the Spaniard was sold by Mourinho in 2014.

‘(For) my project at Chelsea he was a good player and at United he is a very good player,’ Mourinho added.

‘The football we want to play here is different. We are in the beginning of that process.

‘I think Mata is very adept to do that with his qualities. We need players with these qualities. He has found a very good natural habitat.’