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Rooney ready to take on Scholes role

Cape Town - Wayne Rooney admits he wants to emulate Paul Scholes as he begins to adapt to a midfield role for Manchester United.

While he has been deployed in a deeper position in the past, Rooney has always insisted he is an out-and-out striker, where the majority of his best displays have come.

However the emergence of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, alongside the fact he is starting to come towards the latter parts of his career, has seen the 30-year-old been used as a midfielder since returning from injury earlier this month.

When asked whether he feels comfortable in a deep-lying, quarterback role, Rooney told reporters: "I've known for a few years, I have played there a few times throughout my career and I can play that position.

"I have played and watched Paul Scholes play that role for years and I always knew that one day that is where I would play, so I have tried to learn and watch what he did.

"It is still early days, but hopefully if I keep playing there I can develop and get better.

"We have got a lot of pace in the team now and I think I can read the game quite well - whether to go forward or stay deeper and leave the space for the other lads.

"Obviously it is down to the manager, it is his decision and for the team more importantly it is the right thing to do at this moment in time."

United legend Scholes made over 700 appearances for the club in a career spanning over 22 years and won a total of 25 trophies in his time at Old Trafford.

Rooney has revealed he is also trying to mentor the current crop of young players at the club, just as Scholes and Ryan Giggs did for him.

"Of course I try and help them," he said. "We're all trying to win together. When I joined the club at 18 Giggsy was about 30 and I saw the help and advice he gave me at that age, so if I can help those young players in any way now I'm happy to do that.

"I've been doing that, but not only that, they can help me as well. You're always learning and especially in the last few games learning about a new position and playing deeper than I've played. I've been enjoying it.

"Obviously it's early days, especially for Rashford. He's a young lad and hasn't played many games, but the impact he has had has been huge for us in the last couple of months.

"Anthony has settled in quickly. Obviously with the start he had he wasn't going to go on like that for the whole season, but he's settled down, is coming up with some big goals for us and you can see the enjoyment in his game and a great goal has put us in the final."

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