Rooney calls for Shaw and Santos to be dropped as United host Ipswich

Wayne Rooney has called on Manchester United manager Michael Carrick to drop Luke Shaw and £50 million summer signing Andrey Santos when United host Ipswich on Sunday, following a chastening 2-0 opening-day defeat away to newly promoted Hull.

Speaking on the Stick to United podcast, United’s all-time top goalscorer was blunt in his assessment of the performance at Hull, singling out Shaw for what he described as ‘schoolboy’ defending in the build-up to Hull’s second goal before half-time.

“I’d change Luke Shaw and I’d play [Patrick] Dorgu at left-back, be a bit more aggressive,” Rooney said. “I don’t think we can rely on him to play all the games, so when you’re playing against a newly promoted team at home, I’d play Dorgu at left-back. I’d play [Matheus] Cunha off the left and I’d play [Marcus] Rashford up top.”

In midfield, Rooney was equally direct, recommending that Kobbie Mainoo replace Santos. “[Kobbie] Mainoo probably, yeah. I’d bring Mainoo in for Santos,” he added when pressed on whether he would alter the engine room.

Rooney also raised questions over the right-back position, where Noussair Mazraoui was preferred to Diogo Dalot on the opening weekend. “It’s a toss-up between the right-backs,” he said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Dalot comes in because Mazraoui didn’t get to the ball — the same as Shaw, didn’t stop crosses.”

Beyond personnel, the former United captain argued that the onus ultimately falls on the players themselves to solve the problems Ipswich are likely to pose, warning that Carrick’s side should expect a similar defensive approach to the one Hull deployed.

“I think players need to take responsibility on the pitch,” Rooney explained. “When you play against a Hull City or Ipswich, you can set up however you want and a lot of the time it’s decisions. It’s decisions from players on the pitch which make the difference.”

United go into Sunday’s match at Old Trafford without a point or a goal from their Premier League campaign so far, with the pressure on Carrick’s side to respond after a performance that drew widespread criticism.