Beckham: Give Rooney time

Former England captain David Beckham believes Wayne Rooney's recent dip in form is the result of a lack of match-fitness and is no cause for alarm.

"People talk about Wayne being in a bad patch but people also have to remember that he's missed quite a bit of the season - three or four weeks without playing the game," Beckham said in an interview to be broadcast on Sky Sports' Revista de la Liga.

"He might have trained but it's not the same as match-fitness and you need that."

The Real Madrid midfielder also urged calm over England's faltering European Championship qualifying campaign, in which Steve McClaren's men have taken just a point from their last two games.

England could only manage a goalless draw with Macedonia at Old Trafford just over a week ago before crashing to a 2-0 defeat in Croatia.

"It's hard to watch England without being in the team," added the 31-year-old. "It's still hard and it will be until I'm back in there.

"What people have to realise is there's going to be tough games, there's going to be good games, bad games, and it's been two tough games for them.

"But we've got great players, we've got great talent in that team, good young talent."