Henrikh Mkhitaryan is Wayne Rooney's long-term replacement at Manchester United, says Arsenal legend Ian Wright

Former Arsenal and Crystal Palace striker Ian Wright feels that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will take over from Wayne Rooney at Manchester United in the long run. The Armenian struggled to break into Jose Mourinho's squad early in the campaign, but now looks settled in at Old Trafford.

Watch Mkhitaryan superb goal against sunderland

"United didn't start off brilliantly and they've been trying to get themselves going. Mourinho was working out his best team and who was going to play where. He's got something with [Marcos] Rojo and [Phil] Jones at the back," metero.co.uk quoted Wright as saying.

"Pogba is playing brilliantly. I think Mkhitaryan is the long-term replacement for Wayne Rooney. You know that with the quality of players they have, now they've got it going, you have to say Man United will be in and around it at the end of the season," he added.

Mkhitaryan found his feet at Manchester United after he scored his first goal for the club in their Europa League group stage match against Zorya and followed that up with another crucial goal against Tottenham early in December. Despite getting injured in the match against Tottenham which forced Mkhitaryan to miss Manchester United's next two games against Crystal Palace and West Brom, the Armenian returned against Sunderland only to continue his superb form.

Mkhitaryan came on as a substitute in that match and scored a superb scorpion kick after he connected with the ball from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic cross.

Wayne Rooney has already found chances difficult to come by at Manchester United this season and with Mkhitaryan finally showing why Jose Mourinho spent £27 million on him, Rooney is in danger of becoming the odd man out at Manchester United.

Manchester United play Middleborough in their next Premier League match on New Year's Eve with Mourinho set to lock horns with his former assistant from Real Madrid in Aitor Karanka.