After producing his best performance of the season, Wayne Rooney said the furore surrounding his drinking had nothing to do with his motivation to prove his critics wrong.

The England captain scored the opening goal in Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat of Feyenoord in the Europa League and made the second for Juan Mata. His opener meant he overtook Ruud van Nistelrooy as Manchester United’s leading goalscorer in European football.

“It is a great feeling to score goals for this club and there are plenty more to come,” he said to BT Sport.

“All that is created by people like yourself asking questions about the (wedding) incident. It’s people in the media making a big deal over nothing. I actually did not set foot in that wedding and I think it’s a shame I am having to talk about it after such a great victory.”

The victory over Feyenoord means that Manchester United need merely to avoid defeat in their final group game, away to Zorya Luhansk, to qualify for the knockout phases of the Europa League.

The United manager, Jose Mourinho, remarked that after overtaking Van Nistelrooy’s record, Rooney’s task should be to help his club win the competition. They are the bookmaker's favourites to do so.

“Rooney’s is a remarkable achievement obviously it would be even better if he could help the club to win the one competition it has never won - the Europa League,” said Mourinho, whose first European trophy was the Uefa Cup with Porto 13 years ago.

“It is not the biggest competition and there are a lot of games, but it is one we want to win. Let us qualify and let us try to win it.”

Manchester United transfer targets Show all 6 1 /6 Manchester United transfer targets Manchester United transfer targets Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid) The 21-year-old Uruguayan has already played 21 times for his country and has been touted as a future world-class centre-back. Currently on the books of Atletico Madrid, Gimenez is not a regular and a move in January for first-team football would surely appeal to him. Getty Manchester United transfer targets Victor Lindelof (Benfica) The most recent player to be linked with the Red Devils, Lindelof is a 22-year-old centre-back currently plying his trade at Benfica. The Swedish international has been in fine form this season and could be tempted by a move to England in January. Getty Manchester United transfer targets Mesut Özil (Arsenal) The German midfielder has emerged as a shock transfer target for the Red Devils as the Arsenal playmaker demands a substantial increase to his current £140,000 per week contract in North London. Getty Manchester United transfer targets Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) The French forward had a brilliant season in Spain last year and was top scorer and Player of the Tournament as he helped his country to the final of Euro 2016. Atletico Madrid would certainly not let him go on the cheap however. Getty Manchester United transfer targets Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid) The third Atletico Madrid player reported to be on Mourinho’s wish-list, Carrasco is one of Belgium’s new generation of talent and, at just 23 years of age, has a long career ahead of him. The Belgian is an attacking midfielder who has added a ruthlessness in front of goal to his repertoire this season, contributing nine goals in all competitions. Getty Manchester United transfer targets Bruma (Galatasaray) Galatasaray’s fleet-footed winger is rated at around £21.5m and has impressed in the Turkish league this season, receiving five Man of the Match awards in just ten starts so far. Bruma is a fantastic dribbler who would certainly provide competition for places on the left wing. Getty

One of the highlights of the night was the appearance of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who had disappeared without trace since his £27m transfer from Borussia Dortmund. His last start at Old Trafford, in the Manchester derby, had seen him substituted at half time. This was vastly better.