Troy Deeney believes Wayne Rooney deserves to be shown a lot of respect for what he has achieved in his career and says the England captain “has loads of football left in him”.

The Watford skipper looked set to do battle with England’s record goalscorer at Vicarage Road tomorrow but Manchester United confirmed this morning that Rooney will now miss the game due to illness, leaving the Red Devils short of forward options as Anthony Martial has also been ruled out because of injury.

Rooney is level with Denis Law on 237 goals for United and needs another 13 to overtake Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time club record.

“He’s [Rooney's] a victim of his own success,” said the Hornets skipper at the club's match press conference yesterday. “He was 16 when he came onto the scene. Now he has turned 30 and everyone is saying he’s past it.

“You’ve got to remember he’s had nearly 15 years of performing of a real high standard. And he has not just carried his team but also the nation’s hopes on his shoulders.

“He is still playing well in most games - not all games because he has high standards - but when he has a little dip everyone is talking about him as if he is past it.

“When (Ryan) Giggs finished at the age of 40 everyone was saying he was great but that’s because he was playing ten games a season.

“So Wayne Rooney has loads of football left in him and he scored for England the other night. He is the country’s record scorer and you have to show him a lot of respect.

“If he is having a little dip then he has more than earned the right to.”

Hornets boss Quique Sanchez Flores also admires what Rooney has accomplished and remarked: “For the last six or seven years he has been the best striker in England. He has the level [to play at Real Madrid and Barcelona]. He has skill, he has power, he's clever and he can score. He has all the tools of every top striker.”