Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has suggested that Wayne Rooney will rarely be at risk of getting dropped from the team because he is the captain.

Van Gaal handed the skipper's armband over to the England international during the summer following Nemanja Vidic's move to Inter Milan.

Rooney, Juan Mata, Tyler Blackett and goalkeeper David de Gea are the only players to have started every game for United in the Premier League so far.

"There are always players you put in a team," Van Gaal said in this afternoon's press conference. "My captain shall always play and normally the goalkeeper, so it's not a surprise. Maybe it's a surprise Blackett has played all the games, but he has played well and Mata is a very good player.

"I don't think any player is fixed. Only the captain has more privileges, but no other player has privileges, I think. Every player knows that because you can see that by how I manage my teams."

United will take on Leicester City at the King Power Stadium tomorrow.