It is harder to win the Premier League title now more than ever ; Rooney

• Manchester United face Arsenal on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium
• Louis van Gaal's side are looking to push on in their pursuit of the title
• Wayne Rooney admits the Premier League title fight is tougher than ever

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney claims it is harder to win the Premier League now than in any of his 5 championship seasons.

Rooney takes United to Arsenal on Sunday as genuine title challengers and a repeat of last season's victory at the Emirates will see Louis van Gaal's side go into the international break as league leaders.

But the 29-year-old confesses he finds the Premier League dogfight tougher than ever, thanks to the strength in depth across all 20 clubs.

'Six or seven years ago, there were games you knew you would win but now every team has progressed,' said Rooney. 'You see teams at the bottom of the league buying players for a lot of money. It makes it a better league, more competitive. Physically you are pushing right to the end of games.

'In the past, you could be leading 3-0 or 4-0 after an hour and take your foot off the gas to concentrate on the next game. But now you must keep on until the end.

'We want to be top, obviously, but this is a tough league. There are no easy games.'

Rooney, who turns 30 later this month, has never gone three years in a row without winning the Premier League at Old Trafford.

That run is under threat this season, with Manchester City and Chelsea having lifted the trophy in the last two years, but United have started this campaign impressively under the pragmatic leadership of Van Gaal. They have lost only one of their seven league games so far. 

Rooney, pictured with Rio Ferdinand, has won five Premier League titles in his career at Old Trafford
'The manager's experience is important. We know what he wants and it's something we work on every day in training,' said Rooney, who scored his first league goal since April in last weekend's victory against Sunderland.

'Arsenal have some quality players. We need to stop their danger players and take our chances. It is a chance to extend our gap over Arsenal to six points and make sure we are top going into the international break.

'It is always a tough game at the Emirates but I am sure Arsenal know it's a big game for them as well.'

United's player of the season so far has been central defender Chris Smalling, who is showing the form that saw Arsenal and United chase his services from Fulham in 2010.

Van Gaal has named the 25-year-old England defender as his 'third captain' behind Rooney and Michael Carrick, and Smalling skippered United against PSV Eindhoven when they were both absent.

Smalling said: 'It's been significant for me, when you are one of the leaders of the team, people will look to you to gee them up when things aren't going so well.

'I feel that I quite like that responsibility. I've definitely added more consistency into my game, particularly since the second half of last season.

'It was something I needed to add to my game rather than having a good performance, and then only an okay one. It's nice to get that consistant run and be recognised but it's a case of only being as good as your last game so I'll be looking to build on that against Arsenal.

'It seems a long time ago that I was linked with Arsenal! There was interest but I am happy to be where I am now.'

Smalling's new status means it is unlikely Van Gaal will repeat his mistake in the summer of calling him Mike Smalling — a blunder that has been celebrated in song by United supporters.

While the £36million signing of teenager Anthony Martial on transfer deadline day now looks inspired, having been criticised at the time, the United manager frets that the long-term injury to another youngster Luke Shaw weakens the club's title hopes this season.

Shaw, 20, is out until spring at the earliest after suffering a nasty broken leg and Van Gaal has used Italian Matteo Darmian, usually a right-back, to fill in on the left.

Van Gaal said: 'This was going to be the season of Luke Shaw. His was the only position in which we don't have a double option. So the circumstances are not so good.

'I have to look for solutions. You have seen that I have tried it with Ashley Young, I have tried it with Darmian, I have tried it with Marcos Rojo and with Daley Blind.

'Four people have played in that position after Shaw and we have won every game but, in my opinion, we don't have a good substitute for Luke Shaw with the same qualities, so it's a big blow.'

One defeat, of course, could deflate all the current optimism. Van Gaal will emphasise to his players not to expect Arsenal's unexpected 3-2 home defeat against Olympiakos to help them this afternoon.

Smalling is also aware that United lost at Swansea in their final fixture before the last international break. 'It is a long two weeks when you don't get that win.' he said. 'Arsenal is going to be a crucial game.'