Wayne Rooney has admitted his place in England’s starting lineup is far from guaranteed as Roy Hodgson’s side contemplate a “do or die” game against Uruguay on Thursday to maintain their participation in the World Cup.

There were flashes of encouragement even in defeat by Italy in Manaus on Saturday, with Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck excelling, though Rooney’s display, initially from a position out wide, was relatively peripheral. The Manchester United striker set up Sturridge’s equaliser against the Azzurri but, denied a central role on his 93rd cap until the latter stages, struggled to deliver a prolonged threat.

Hodgson has pointed to the experience offered by Rooney and the captain, Steven Gerrard, as key to helping guide a relatively young side through this tournament but, when asked if he thought his place in the team was still guaranteed for the game with Uruguay on Thursday, the 28-year-old forward offered only brutal realism.

“I’ve never felt that,” said Rooney. “I don’t know why you’d say that. Why would I feel my place in the team is guaranteed? I work hard to try and get into that team and I’ve never said my place is guaranteed. I don’t expect to play. I work hard and I want to play. It’s good the manager has so many options. We have a lot of good, young players so we will all work hard, all give the manager different options, different choices and whoever he picks, then I am sure we will all respect that.”

The striker was England’s leading scorer in qualification with seven goals in six appearances but had only two touches inside the Italian penalty area in Manaus, dragging an attempt from his clearest glimpse of goal wide of the near post and failing to hit the target with the shots he conjured from outside the box. The management may consider moving him inside in São Paulo, switching Sterling back to the flank – though there is always a fluidity in terms of the attacking trio’s movement behind the lone forward, Sturridge – as they seek to revive their challenge against the South Americans.

Yet the decision to start Rooney on the left has prompted criticism in some quarters. His former United team-mate Paul Scholes joined Rio Ferdinand, who had made his views known as a pundit on television, by suggesting England should pick their squad’s 39-goal leading scorer in his natural position. “If you think about the contenders at the World Cup and goalscorers, Holland play Robin van Persie in his best position, Brazil play Neymar where he wants to play, Argentina with Messi, Portugal with Ronaldo,” Scholes told Paddy Power. “Wayne’s without doubt England’s best goalscorer but he was played on the left, played on the right, then in the centre.”

Those sentiments were echoed by José Mourinho, who admitted the role on the left was “not the best position for Wayne”. “But many, many times players must do sacrifices for their team and I think Wayne did well,” he told Yahoo. “Somebody had to play on the side, and Wayne did his job. An assist for the goal. A good participation in the game. He loses a little bit of his danger because he is naturally a goalscorer when he plays in more central positions.”

England arrived back at their Urca training base in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to start preparations for the fixture against the Uruguayans, who lost their opening fixture in the section 3-1 to Costa Rica but hope to have Luis Suárez fit and available to start from now on in. There is an acceptance within Hodgson’s squad that they may have to beat the South Americans if they are to progress into the knockout phase – “I think it will be do or die,” said Rooney – and the management are confident Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be available to play some part if required in the fixture in São Paulo after medial ligament damage.

The squad clung to the positives from their attacking display as reason for optimism going into Thursday’s second game. “Listen, it’s a defeat,” said Gerrard. “I understand if the supporters are disappointed with a loss. The players are as well. But there are two games left and we are more than capable of getting six points and coming out of this group. I think the fans will be really pleased with large chunks of that game in Manaus. I certainly am, as captain of the team. Now we dust ourselves down and move forward. We’re certainly down at the moment but we’re not out.

“When you are captain of England there’s huge responsibility on you. I know this team will be judged on results and the outcome of this group, but big players and big leaders come back after these results like this and that’s the important thing now. To respond. I’ve got to try to pick these lads up and we go again against Uruguay. It’s a huge game but we’re certainly capable of winning it.”