Wayne Rooney could play in his favoured striking position on Saturday afternoon when Manchester United travel to Swansea City in the Premier League.

The Red Devils captain, who is third in the club's all-time scoring charts with 225 goals in 465 games, has spent much of the last few months operating in midfield.

Manager Louis van Gaal has claimed that his hand has been forced by a lack of resources in the centre of the park, something that he will look to address in the summer.

Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao have been playing up front during this time, but only have four goals between them in 2015 and now the Dutchman is out injured.

Rooney was restored to a centre-forward role in the 3-1 FA Cup win over Preston North End on Monday and scored the final goal from the spot as United survived a brief scare against their League One opponents.

The England skipper apologised for the manner in which he won the penalty against Preston goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann, but Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson defended Rooney amid suggestions that he had dived.

It was arguably Ashley Young coming off the bench and moving Marouane Fellaini into a more advanced role that changed the fifth-round tie, but Van Gaal is unlikely to use this ploy from the start at the Liberty Stadium.

He could make one change to the side which booked a quarter-final meeting with rivals Arsenal, with Juan Mata replacing Ander Herrera in the midfield diamond, despite the latter getting on the scoresheet.

Michael Carrick and Phil Jones remain sidelined as the visitors go in search of a win which would take them to within two points of second-placed neighbours Manchester City, who are not in action until the evening.

Swansea were in the European hunt themselves until a run of one win in seven games saw them fall well off the pace. They are now 13 points behind United in the table and eight adrift of the final qualification place.

The attacking partnership of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wilfried Bony was key to Swansea's early-season success. Bony's understudy Bafetimbi Gomis is goalless in six matches since the Ivorian left for Manchester City.

Sigurdsson is back from suspension this weekend and Garry Monk could also recall Wayne Routledge to his starting lineup after the winger returned from injury as a substitute in the 2-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion.

Jonjo Shelvey and Nathan Dyer are the most likely to drop out for the hosts, with January signing Jack Cork moving into a deeper midfield role. Leon Britton and Marvin Emnes are the only injury concerns for Monk.

Sigurdsson and Ki Sung-yueng scored the goals as the Swans ruined Van Gaal's first competitive match in charge of United on the opening day of the season, by coming away from Old Trafford with a surprise 2-1 triumph.

Swansea:

Form in Premier League: DDLWDL
Form in all competitions: DLLWDL

Possible starting lineup: Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Cork, Ki; Routledge, Sigurdsson, Montero; Gomis

Man United:

Form in Premier League: DLWWDW
Form in all competitions: DWWDWW

Possible starting lineup: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Shaw; Blind, Di Maria, Fellaini, Mata; Rooney, Falcao

Sports Mole says: 1-2