Wayne Rooney admits facing 'huge challenge' to start for England

Wayne Rooney admits he faces a "huge challenge" to remain the main striker in Roy Hodgson's England squad after being informed he won't start against Spain on Friday.

Roy Hodgson said on Thursday that his staff wanted to experiment with a new front line featuring Harry Kane, with Ross Barkley behind the Tottenham man.

Rooney will start in Tuesday's friendly against France at Wembley, but Rooney acknowledged that he's facing fierce competition during a time when he has also struggled to score for Manchester United.

"If the manager needs to have a look to see what he can do at international level, you have to understand that," Rooney said. "It's a huge challenge to keep your place in the team and that's what I want to do. I want to prove myself.

"I feel that since Roy has been in charge, my international form has been great, I have scored a lot of goals and I hope that will continue."

It is the first time Rooney has not started a game when available since the 0-0 draw against Costa Rica at the World Cup, and his place will be under more pressure when Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott return to fitness.

"As a footballer you want to play," Rooney said. "But then I have to understand I have played a lot of games for England and players like Jamie Vardy have come in and done well. It's certainly the best group of strikers since I've been involved in the squad.

"We've also got players such as Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge and Theo Walcott out injured so it's a huge array of talent and great for the country.

"In previous years we've gone into tournaments and haven't had that many match-winners in the squad. Now we've got quite a few match-winners, which can only benefit us as a team."

England coach Roy Hodgson honoured Wayne Rooney after he set the nation's goals record last month.

Hodgson deflected questions that Michael Carrick would start for just the second-time since the World Cup, though Rooney said "I think he should play" when asked about his club teammate.

Carrick's chance to cement a place in Hodgson's squad has been interrupted by injury, so the England manager hopes the 34-year-old midfielder embraces his chance to shine.

"He has been very, very unlucky [with injuries]," Hodgson said of Carrick's tried to get over that knock and then been devastated to go home.

"Let's hope that those days are over and from now on when he comes in he will be able to play just like on this occasion.

"He is available and I hear my captain thinks he should play so I will give it some thought."

Meanwhile, Hodgson admitted he was lucky to keep his job after England's dismal showing at the World Cup.

Stuart Lancaster paid the price for failing to qualify from the group stages of the rugby World Cup on Wednesday when he left his position as England coach. Luckily for Hodgson, his employers at the Football Association were not so ruthless.

Despite crashing out of the group stages after failing to win a match at the World Cup last summer, the FA kept faith with Hodgson, but he admits it could have easily gone the other way.

"I was more fortunate that the FA kept faith in me at a time when results didn't go as they should and they could if they wanted to have decided to change course," the England manager said when asked about his friend Lancaster.

"I'm grateful the FA kept faith with me and the work we were doing with a good team in a transitional period."