My treatment is just a disgrace, says Rooney

WAYNE ROONEY has branded his treatment ‘a disgrace’ in a furious attack on his critics following Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

The Manchester United striker was vilified, and forced to apologise, after being pictured apparently worse for wear at the England team hotel in the early hours of Sunday while on international duty.

‘What’s been going on is disgraceful,’ said Rooney, the England captain, after Jose Mourinho’s side suffered late heartbreak to draw 1-1 with Arsenal at Old Trafford.

‘I’m proud to play for my country and I’m proud of my achievements. It’s not finished yet. I think what’s been going on is disgraceful.’

Rooney has come in for fierce criticism after a picture of him in an England training top with winestained lips and bleary eyes after he joined a wedding party at The Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire.

He has kept his counsel, but after Olivier Giroud’s dramatic late header had snatched a point for Arsenal in a match United had deservedly looked set to win following a Juan Mata strike, the 31-year-old, who came on as a second-half substitute, went on the offensive.

‘It shows a lack of respect,’ added Rooney. ‘I think enough is enough.’

England’s record scorer also accused sections of the Press of trying to prematurely bring down the curtain on his England career.

’It feels as if the media are trying to write my obituary and I won’t let that happen,’ he said. ‘I love playing for my country and I am proud of my achievements to date but I have not finished yet. That’s all I want to say.’

Rooney joined the wedding party after being given the night off by England boss Gareth Southgate following the 3-0 victory over Scotland.

The 31-year-old missed Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Spain after injuring his knee when he tripped over an energy bottle drink coming out of the shower after the Scotland game.

Rooney is currently on 119 caps for his country, six behind Peter Shilton, whose record he is desperate to break.

Meanwhile, the Football Association are planning to speak to Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard once they have appointed Gareth Southgate as manager to see whether they can accommodate them in the coaching set-up.

Any final decision will be left until the FA have confirmed their new manager, with Southgate, who will be interviewed by the five-man FA panel tomorrow, the only candidate at present.

Gerrard — linked with a move to Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic — and Lampard are finishing their stints in US Major League Soccer.