Young confident despite Rooney absence

9 June 2012 18:41

England's Ashley Young says he will thrive on the pressure of being one of their main attacking threats in the absence of Wayne Rooney.

Young's Manchester United team-mate is suspended for the first two group games of Euro 2012 and the former Watford and Aston Villa man said the squad will just have to cope without the star.

"He is a world-class player," Young said. "Obviously it is disappointing not to have him for the first two games but we have got to get on with it.

"He has been in the squad keeping everyone happy, everybody had been getting on with everybody, and it is important to have him around even though he is not involved in the two games.

"I'm feeling confident, I'm going in to this first game feeling really confident, obviously on the back of a few goals and assists which is always nice.

"Everybody in the squad is feeling confident ahead of the game (on Monday against France), and I'm sure if we can go out there and put in a display like we have shown in the last couple of games we will get a good result."

England have posted 1-0 wins against Norway and Belgium in Roy Hodgson's first two games in charge, and Young feels the former Liverpool and West Brom boss is beginning to leave his mark on the team.

"If you look at the two games we have had under him the organisation has been different to the previous games and I think it has helped," he said.

"The two 1-0 wins were good wins, especially in the way that we kept our shape, we managed to get ourselves forward and get the goals, and I think it is going to be important to do that on Monday."