Wayne Rooney has received advice from one of Manchester United's modern day legends. Rooney's former Old Trafford strike partner Ruud van Nistelrooy believes his ex-colleague needs to block out the problems in his private life and concentrate on his job on the pitch.

"I think that the most important thing for a footballer is that you focus on the game," said Van Nistelrooy yesterday. "That's obviously the main thing. In England there is the press that look into other parts as well.

"That doesn't happen in other countries really. You get judged by your performance on the pitch and that's how it should be. You have to live with that if you play in England.

"The players I played with at United were always focused. They still are. He can handle it, he's proved it."