SAYS PHIL JAGIELKA

PHIL JAGIELKA insists Wayne Rooney is still “as good as ever” and deserves an England recall.

Rooney (right) showed he is by no means finished after making his case in front of Gareth Southgate in the 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Monday and left the door open for an England return.

Jagielka believes the Everton striker has proved any doubters wrong since his return to Goodison Park and claims he warrants a place in Southgate’s squad.

England defender Jagielka said: “Wayne never doubts himself, and neither do his team-mates – so I am not sure why other people would.

“I think Wayne, with the season he had last season, with him not being given the chance to play as much as he would have liked, he is concentrating on his football at Everton.

“But if England comes knocking – he is younger than me and he has more goals to go for – I am sure he will be happy.

“Game-wise I think he ran the most at City, he has been putting it in, he has been pretty much our best player throughout preseason, so he looks fit and sharp and scores goals. So there is not much more that we will be looking for him to do.

“He is England’s top goalscorer. I have been lucky enough to play with Wayne a number of times and he looks as good as ever, as hungry as ever and hopefully that is a good sign for us.

“His record for his country and his teams has been second to none and for us, in pre-season and in the league and in our brief Europa League stint, he has been one of our best players”

Everton’s England defender Michael Keane added: “Wayne has been fantastic for us. Since day one, the authority he has. He is a leader in the dressing room.

“He has worked really hard on his fitness and it is showing in the games.

“Obviously it’s two goals in two league games for him now and hopefully it will be a lot more. He has shown his quality as well as his leadership skills.

“He has had a fantastic career and hopefully still has a long way to go. It is not just his goals it is his all-round play. He is really sharp.

“You can see the hunger in him. More so than ever.

“He wants to do really well for this club. He wants to help us win something.

“Until that happens he won’t be resting.

“Personally I think he deserves a call-up the way he has been playing but that is up to the manager.

“There are a lot of good strikers who have been scoring goals so it is his decision.

“I can try to learn a lot from players like Wayne. He was at United for so many years and won everything.

“When someone like that speaks in the dressing room, everyone listens.

“It is the aura around him. It is the lift he has given to the whole club, the fans as well. That has been massive for us.”