Wayne Rooney: "We all have to step up"

Wayne Rooney has urged his Manchester United teammates to "step up" their level of performance and replicate the form that saw them claim the Premier League title last season.

The Red Devils travel to Aston Villa this afternoon fresh from successive home defeats to Everton and Newcastle United that inflicted further damage to the team's title bid with David Moyes's men sitting ninth in the table.

"We all have to step up," the forward told reporters. "It hasn't been good enough of late and we all have to come forward and show why we were champions last year and do better. We have a good run of games now and hopefully we can do that."

Victory at Villa Park, where United have not lost a league fixture for 18 years, will see Moyes's side move within 10 points of leaders Arsenal at the summit.