MANCHESTER -- Jose Mourinho has said Wayne Rooney is "ready" to lead Manchester United against Arsenal on Saturday after a week of controversy surrounding his off-field behaviour while with England.
The United and England captain was criticised by Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn on Thursday following the publication of newspaper stories alleging that Rooney had been drinking in the early hours of the morning following last Friday's 3-0 World Cup qualifying against Scotland at Wembley.
And while United manager Mourinho stopped short of commenting on the FA's handling of the matter, he claimed that the player has trained fully this week in preparation for the Arsenal clash.
"Over the last 2-3 days, nothing happened," Mourinho said in his weekly news conference on Friday. "He trained like everybody else, he wants to play like everybody else. He's ready.
"What happened with the national team, happened with national team. I don't comment. They belong to the national team, what happens good or bad, I don't like to comment.
"Sometimes the players come back stronger than when they left, maybe something good has happened, results, performances for instance. But other time, there are injuries frustrations, they didn't play etc.
"In this case, we know what they didn't do well, but the national team is a different shepherd and is closed now until the end of February."
Mourinho, meanwhile, refused to discuss the extent of Chris Smalling's injury following claims that the defender suffered a broken toe in training last week.
Mourinho had appeared to criticise Smalling and Luke Shaw in the wake of the 3-1 win at Swansea City 12 days ago by suggesting neither player had been prepared to risk their fitness, but the Portuguese would only offer an update on Shaw's condition.
"You cannot ask [about Smalling]," Mourinho said. "You have your sources, you believe your sources, you respect your sources and we have had that for 15 days, so I am not going to speak about Smalling.
"So I will not comment. Do your big headlines with your sources.
"Luke Shaw? He worked well in this period with a very small group, he worked really well, and he is ready to play.
"I don't have any problem with him. I don't say if he plays tomorrow, but he is my player, he has potential and he needs to learn and improve.
"But he is a player who has my confidence and, with five games in two weeks, he will have opportunities."