Former England and Manchester United defender Paul Parker believes that Gareth Southgate is being pressured to play Wayne Rooney, with marketing reasons behind the forward continuing to start for England.
Parker thinks that Rooney's performances at club level, where he has been dropped by Manchester United, do not warrant a starting spot with England.
Yet Southgate picked the 30-year-old to start against Malta on Saturday and Rooney clocked up all 90 minutes, even being booed by England fans, as the interim England manager used his three substitutions to replace other players.
With Rooney closing in on the record for England caps, currently held by Peter Shilton, Parker thinks there is more to the Red Devil being picked than meets the eye.
He feels that Southgate is being told to play Rooney, with the caps record for England being a driving factor, as marketing takes centre stage.
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"It seems to me that someone is saying Wayne Rooney has to play", Parker said on BBC Radio Scotland.
"It can't be Gareth Southgate, Gareth hasn't suddenly come in and has to play him.
"I just believe that someone has told him Wayne Rooney has got to play.
"I think it all relates to the cap record and is about beating Shilton's cap record, from a marketing point of view", the former Manchester United defender added.
England ran out 2-0 winners over Malta, something which attracted criticism as Scotland beat the minnows 5-1 in an away World Cup qualifier in September.
Parker himself won 19 caps for England between 1989 and 1994.
