Manchester United hero Gary Neville says Derby veteran Wayne Rooney was the most difficult player he captained during his time at Old Trafford.

Neville spent 19 years at United, winning 17 trophies during that time.

Asked by Sky Sports who was the hardest Man Utd star to control, Neville named his former England teammate.

"Rooney. You used to have to man-mark with him a security guard on a night out," Neville said in a YouTube interview.

"I used to take responsibility for it. I remember once – and I used to love Wazza, he was a brilliant lad – but when he was younger he was a little bit... what's the word... when we were out, he was a little bit unpredictable.

"I remember once a security guard was looking after him, I literally did put a security guard on him – I always thought he was a target for people we saw in the street, someone the other fans would try and wind up.

"So anyway he's stopped at the top of the stairs, this security guard, and handed him over to the security guard at the bottom of the stairs and [Rooney] was having a battle in the middle of the stairs in between the security guards.

"It's about a 10-step staircase and he's literally been left alone for five steps! He was somebody that was a challenge, but he was a great lad."