End of Wayne Rooney in starting XI? Mourinho reportedly prefer Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford has burst onto the scene in recent months and had a blistering start to his career in the mist fascinating way. He scored in the Manchester derby, netting cleanly past the floundering Joe Hart with cool composure. He had a headline debut and has continued to score goals in a team that has played consistently inconsistent football.

He got a terrific pay rise, from around £500 a week to a dizzying £20,000 and his name has even been cited as a possibility for the England team. He is still 18 years of age and has much to learn but his breakthrough can be one of the real positives for United’s lackluster season.

Wayne Rooney, on the other hand, has had an indifferent season plagued by injury and lack of form. Could Rashford displace Rooney from the starting lineup? With the career of Louis Van Gall teetering on the brink and his term as manager seemingly coming to an end, will a new manager choose Rooney or Rashford up front or could they incorporate them both?

With Jose Mourinho waiting in the wings for what seems like an inevitable takeover, we know that he is a fan of Rooney as he often tried to sign him whilst he managed Chelsea. We also know that Mourinho likes to play with a lone striker and does not always favor youth over experience.

However, latest reports via Metro show that Jose Mourinho is a huge fan of young Rashford and could prefer him over Rooney.

It could be that Rooney is a big part of the plans when Manchester United go through their inevitable overhaul at the end of the season; if he isn’t then they will be looking to get his £300,000 a week wages off their books.