Louis van Gaal has instilled a new attacking discipline in Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney, former Old Trafford defender Gary Neville has said.
Rooney was used in a midfield role for much of the season under Van Gaal, but he has been restored to an attacking role in recent games, scoring six goals in nine games as United have started to find form under the former Netherlands boss.
Sky Sports pundit Neville, who now works with Rooney in his role as part of the England coaching setup, said on "Monday Night Football" that the forward had shown an unusual dedication to his attacking role during Sunday's 4-2 win over Manchester City,
Rooney provided an assist but did not score and registered just one shot, and Neville said that he had only 35 touches during the game compared to his usual 75 to 85, but the pundit argued that Van Gaal would view it as the 29-year-old's finest performance of the season.
He said: "I came away from the game thinking: 'Was he anonymous? How did he play? We never mentioned him much during the game.' He wasn't really talked about that much.
"Having played with Wayne Rooney for 10 years, having worked with him for England for three or four years, I can say he is a street-football player who can chase the ball, wants to be involved and wants to be everywhere on the pitch. But I think Louis van Gaal must have him on a lead in training, and says to him: 'That's not your position, that's not what you're there to do.'
"You used to see him charging down channels, dropping into midfield. If he hasn't had the ball for five minutes you used to see him drop to get it because that's the type of player he is."
Neville said Rooney holding his position meant the City centre-backs had to remain central, which "kept those pockets open for [Marouane] Fellaini and [Ander] Herrera, meant that [Ashley] Young and [Juan] Mata pulled [Pablo] Zabaleta and [Gael] Clichy wide."
He added: "I talk about this philosophy and the attacking discipline of Manchester United, and you can tell the story through Wayne Rooney. That is a big achievement by Louis van Gaal. To get that player to play like that is a fantastic achievement.
"Sunday was a silent domination of City's centre-backs. I would think Louis van Gaal will have watched that game back and might think that was Rooney's best performance for Manchester United under him.
"Everyone who left Old Trafford may have said, 'Didn't see much of Rooney today,' but I think Louis van Gaal would have loved that performance."