Sir Alex Ferguson has blasted the Wayne Rooney gambling reports as "absolute rubbish".
The Manchester United manager was speaking after his side beat Arsenal 2-0 - with Rooney scoring one and setting up the second.
The Scot said: "It's unfortunate the media want to examine every part of him.
"It was George Best in the 1960s, then Paul Gascoigne and David Beckham - they are searching for someone to fill a headline, so Wayne is manna from heaven for them and it's nonsense."
The Sunday Mirror claims that Rooney has amassed debts of £700,000 on horses, dogs and football matches he was not involved in.
The Mirror says that Rooney, who earns an estimated £50,000 a week on the pitch and millions more a year from sponsorship deals, is one of a number of England players involved in betting on sports other than their own.
A spokesman for Rooney, 20, refused to discuss the newspaper's claims saying: "We have got absolutely no comment to make at all."
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is to talk Wayne Rooney about the claims.
Director of Communications Adrian Bevington said: "The FA would like to make it clear we are unaware of any problems in the England team dressing room due to issues surrounding gambling or anything else come to that.
"On being made aware of these allegations by the Sunday Mirror we believe England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will speak to the players allegedly involved to clarify the facts."
The Manchester United manager was speaking after his side beat Arsenal 2-0 - with Rooney scoring one and setting up the second.
The Scot said: "It's unfortunate the media want to examine every part of him.
"It was George Best in the 1960s, then Paul Gascoigne and David Beckham - they are searching for someone to fill a headline, so Wayne is manna from heaven for them and it's nonsense."
The Sunday Mirror claims that Rooney has amassed debts of £700,000 on horses, dogs and football matches he was not involved in.
The Mirror says that Rooney, who earns an estimated £50,000 a week on the pitch and millions more a year from sponsorship deals, is one of a number of England players involved in betting on sports other than their own.
A spokesman for Rooney, 20, refused to discuss the newspaper's claims saying: "We have got absolutely no comment to make at all."
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is to talk Wayne Rooney about the claims.
Director of Communications Adrian Bevington said: "The FA would like to make it clear we are unaware of any problems in the England team dressing room due to issues surrounding gambling or anything else come to that.
"On being made aware of these allegations by the Sunday Mirror we believe England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will speak to the players allegedly involved to clarify the facts."
