Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has admitted that he is loving life as the Red Devils' skipper.

The 29-year-old was handed the armband by Louis van Gaal last summer in a move that surprised many, with Robin van Persie - who skippered the Dutchman's Netherlands side during the World Cup - expected to be given the nod.

Van Gaal's side thumped Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 last month and won the next three games to consolidate their grip on a top-four finish.

"There are times when you have to speak up," he told Sky Sports News. "I did that before the Tottenham game because I felt I had to.

"We had had a bad defeat in the FA Cup against Arsenal and I just wanted to reiterate to the players what our targets were for the remaining games of the season.

"The players responded to that and we have had some good results."

Earlier this week, Daley Blind revealed that Rooney's rousing pre-match pep talk inspired United to Sunday's 4-2 derby win over Manchester City.