Why Wayne Rooney should not play in midfield for Manchester United

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney (L) scores their second goal during the English Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United at Selhurst Park.

Manchester United - and David Moyes - haven't exactly had a fruitful season. They lie in sixth place after 27 games - level on points with Everton in seventh, who have a game in hand. They were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, in front their own fans. They displayed the fighting spirit of the bygone Fergie era to score in the last minute of their Capital One Cup semifinal, only to surrender meekly in the penalty shootout, a dismal act witnessed again by the Old Trafford faithful.

They face Olympiakos in the knockout stages of the Champions League this week; a tie they will be expected to win. But, should they get through, it would not be remiss to claim that the bookies' odds would be stacked heavily against them when they come up against any of the European powerhouses in the quarter-finals.

Chicharito: Showing smartness on the pitch and off it

Javier Hernandez, on Sunday, re-tweeted (and later removed) a Carlos Vela interview in which he said that his compatriot would have to think about leaving United if first team opportunities continue to be slim. Vela claimed - and rightly so - that Hernandez is one of the best finishers in the Premier League and that a player of his quality deserves to play more games.

This in itself is hardly a revelation for United fans. The United faithful, and presumably the management as well, have long lauded Chicharito’s importance to the team and realized that his performances merit a more regular starting role. But there arises a feeling of helplessness when it comes to figuring out just how to make this possible.