Wayne Rooney to start on the LEFT against Ecuador as his World Cup place falls into doubt #BringBackOurGirls #Entertain9jar via @myentertain9jar

WAYNE ROONEY is fighting for a World Cup starting place as Roy Hodgson prepares to play him in an unfavoured left-sided role for England tonight.

 

Wayne Rooney's starting place in Brazil is not guaranteed[GETTY]

England coach Hodgson has altered plans to make 11 changes to his side for the warm-up game with Ecuador due to concerns over Rooney's match sharpness, although it is the position he is likely to be deployed in that will raise eyebrows.

Rooney has previously voiced his dislike of playing on the left, but in training at the Sun Life Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins, yesterday, he was part of a triumvirate behind Liverpool new boy Rickie Lambert.

Hodgson looks to have decided striker Daniel Sturridge must play through the middle and, with the competition to play off him strong, Rooney is facing a battle to make the cut for the opening Group D showdown with Italy in Manaus on June 14.

"The thinking behind Wayne starting a second game is he only played 60 minutes the other day against Peru," said Hodgson. "He didn't play many games before he joined us. We think that he's recovering his match fitness.

"We think that starting a game will be to his advantage to play a part tomorrow, and we'll see how long he plays and that will be based on how we think his fitness is progressing.

"Wayne can play in several positions, and he'll play in a position which we think will suit the team and which he is capable of playing."

I look at the players at my disposal and decide what they need and what we need

Roy Hodgson

Rooney was England's talisman en route to qualifying for Brazil, scoring seven goals, but Hodgson refused to commit he was an "exceptional player" in an exchange during his media conference.

Asked if the Manchester United star could play on the left tonight, Hodgson said: "He can do that, absolutely.

"I think Wayne's a very useful player in the sense you don't have to pin him down and say this is the only position he can play. "He can play centre-forward, behind the centre-forward and wide.

"If he's done all of those things at the very top level for Manchester United, there is no reason why I can't use him in those positions as well.

"There is a real obsession with Wayne which I don't necessarily share. Wayne is one of my 23 players. I'm very happy to have him here.

"I don't have to share the obsession that he has to play here or he has to play that. As far as I'm concerned, I look at the players at my disposal and decide what they need and what we need. Then I expect them to do it."

Rooney (left) has competition for his place up front [AP]

Liverpool's Raheem Sterling looks like missing out due to Rooney's inclusion, but Everton's Ross Barkley could make his first start for England in a No10 role.

James Milner will play at right-back and Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also set to start.