Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney struggles in the frontline after taking kick from Leicester defender Robert Huth

Wayne Rooney endured another tough day at the office, struggling to make an impact at the King Power Stadium before going off injured.

The England striker had the fewest touches of Manchester United’s outfield players and spent the final 22 minutes on the bench after sustaining a kick to his chest from Robert Huth.

Louis Van Gaal believes Rooney will be fit for the visit of West Ham United next Saturday, but will want improvement from the 30-year-old in any case.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney grimaces after receiving a kick to the chest from Robert Huth

Rooney takes a kick to the chest as Leicester centre back attempts to stop the forward from scoring

Rooney lifts his shirt to inspect the damage caused by Huth's boot and was forced off with 22 minutes to play

‘I don’t think he is injured for next match,’ said Van Gaal. ‘I wanted to change already one of the strikers, then he was limping, that’s why I chose him.

‘But I could have chosen Anthony Martial, both of them were not running in behind. When you have seen the game against Watford, Jesse Lingard was running in behind. You need players running in behind, they didn’t do that. That’s why I wanted to change one of the strikers, but then Rooney was injured.’

Restored to a role up front, the United captain provided little to threaten Leicester City’s defence. He tried an early potshot that was held by Kasper Schmeichel, but then miscued a presentable heading opportunity.

In the second period he failed to connect to a diving header from four yards out after Bastian Schweinsteiger had brought a fine stop from Schmeichel. In the process Rooney, who was offside in any case, took a boot to the torso from Huth that left him with a visible mark when he came off.

Rooney’s struggles in front of goal were put into sharp relief by Jamie Vardy continuing his scoring streak to an 11th consecutive Premier league game. Vardy now has 14 Premier League goals for the season, a figure Rooney needs the past 15 months to reach.

Van Gaal said the Leicester striker benefitted from a ‘lack of concentration’ from his players at an attacking corner, having shown in pre-game teamtalks how effective Claudio Ranieri’s side are on the counter-attack. United switched to three-at-the-back to try nullify the threat of Vardy’s penetrative running.

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‘That’s why I say we gave the goal away,’ said the United manager. ‘When you see the (physical) data against PSV, it is the highest of the season of Manchester United.

‘Then we cannot train Thursday, Friday, then the manager wants to deliver in another shape, I am proud of that match. When you dominate the game.

‘That’s the second time in one week because we had the feeling we could win, that is difficult to cope with.’ 

Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger (second right) heads home the visitors' equaliser