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Former England defender Phil Neville claims that Wayne Rooney remains the country's best player amid doubts over his place in the side.

Former England defender Phil Neville has described calls for Wayne Rooney to be dropped as a "witch hunt".

It has been suggested that the 28-year-old striker could miss out on a place in Roy Hodgson's starting lineup on Saturday when the Three Lions start their World Cup campaign against Italy.

However, Neville is adamant that Rooney remains England's most important player.

"I just think it is a witch hunt we don't need," he told BBC Sport. "Everything has been going so well with the team's preparation that people are looking for a negative now, but there isn't a negative with Wayne.

"There is a side of the English mentality to say 'let's look for a scapegoat and somebody to criticise', but Wayne is our best player and that's a fact."

Rooney has scored 39 goals in 91 games for England, but he is yet to find the net during a World Cup.

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