RELEGATION TO THE BENCH WAS ROONEYS REVIVAL SAYS SMALLING

 Defender Smalling declares that Rooney has benefited from a break from the starting XI, which has given him added sharpness and extra motivation to prove what he can do.

"I think so," he told reporters when asked whether dropping Rooney had made a difference. "It was a busy Christmas period, but since he has missed that game and come back in he has shown he is a top-class performer.
"I think it can refresh you and spur you on a bit more to prove to everyone just how good you are, and people don't forget that.
"I think, given his career as a striker, you go through periods where you don't score. But the best ones are the ones that come back and get on another run, and Rooney has shown that throughout his career. It's good to see he is back among the goals."
England international Smalling agreed, adding: "Our eyes are forward. It's just on us to get that consistency. I think you have seen that, if you get three or four games in a row, you are right back up at the top.
"It's a crazy season where you look back at times when you have dropped points, but then if you get a win it looks that little bit much closer.
"That's the plan. We want to kick on now and not make one step forward and two back, so fingers crossed we can show it again on saturday