England interim boss Gareth Southgate has confirmed that Wayne Rooney will not start for the Three Lions in Slovenia on Tuesday night.
Rooney came in for criticism after a below-par performance against Malta on Saturday and earlier on Monday, reports suggested that he would drop down to the bench for the team's next World Cup qualifying fixture.
Southgate has admitted that the national team skipper will not start in Ljubljana but claims that it is a tactical decision, rather than a reflection of the Manchester United player's recent form.
The 46-year-old told reporters: "It's very straightforward. We have looked at the way Slovenia play and I knew in my mind the profile of the midfield I wanted to play in this game.
"In no way is it a reflection of Wayne's performance on Saturday. He had a lot of the ball, played with great tactical discipline.
"It's not an easy decision to take because of the respect I have for him as the captain of this team."
Jordan Henderson will captain the team in Rooney's absence.
Darren Plant
