ROONEY TO START AGAINST SOUTHAMPTON SAYS JOSE

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has a chance of starting the EFL Cup final but the enigmatic Portuguese tactician  Jose Mourinho insists sentiment will not play any part in his decision.
Mourinho was pleased by the content and timing of the statement from Rooney, who will be in the squad for Sunday's final against Southampton despite a recent hamstring injury and dropping down the pecking order.

"I have to make a decision," manager Mourinho said. "You know that we normally play two different systems -- sometimes we play with two midfield players and a No. 10 if you want to call it [that]. Sometimes we play with a No. 6 and two midfield players in front.
"Without Mkhitaryan, if we want to play with a No. 10, obviously Wayne, it's his position, it's where he was playing with us many matches, so he is an option for me. A final is a special match and he is an option for me."
Asked if sentiment comes into his team selection, Mourinho said: "It's the best 11 players. We win all together, it doesn't matter if you don't play much. I go for the best possible team."
Michael Carrick is available to the United boss and Phil Jones could return from a foot injury at Wembley, where Southampton are looking to win just their second ever major trophy.
"If they want it more than us, they win," he said. "If they want it more than us, they win, so we have to be sure that they don't want it more than us.
"That's the point. They want a lot, of course they want a lot. Of course they want a lot, but I don't think that they want it more than us.
"So I think the best team on the pitch will win and it will not depend on motivations because I don't think that they are more motivated than us."