Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has praised Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic following criticism of the team in recent weeks.

Rooney in particular has seen his performances questioned so far this season, resulting in the club captain losing his place in the side for the last three games.

Herrera insists that the England international still has the trust of the players, though, as well as reiterating his appreciation for the abilities of summer signing Ibrahimovic.

"Everybody is always looking at the best in the world with a magnifying glass and they are criticised more than others. But Ibra is giving us a lot, he is a phenomenon. This week he turned 35 and for me his is still among the best two or three strikers in the world without any doubt," he told Goal.com.

"As for Rooney, these are the decisions of the coach. He is our captain and we trust him. He is a player who makes the difference, but the coaches decide the team. Now Juan Mata is playing in his position but, let's face it, this is football.

"His attitude is great, he has demonstrated it in the three games he has come on in as a substitute. Naturally this is football, and in big teams it is not easy to play every game. We are one of those big teams."

United currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, already five points adrift of leaders Manchester City.