Ferguson backs stay-at-home Rooney to get 30 goals

Sir Alex Ferguson has backed Wayne Rooney to finish the season with 30 goals after the England striker moved to dismiss speculation he could be lured away from Manchester United.

Rooney, who scored four goals in a match for the first time in his career against Hull on Saturday, is set to be pitched into action again on Wednesday as United seek to overturn a 2-1 deficit in a potentially explosive second leg of their League Cup semi-final with Manchester City.

Saturday’s display took Rooney’s tally for the season to 20 — 19 of them in the Premier League — and Ferguson believes his prize asset can reach the 30 mark in a season for the first time.

His record in all competitions is the 23 goals he scored in 2006/07 and Ferguson feels the forward is going from strength to strength playing as an out-and-out striker.

“I think he’s become more aware of the penalty box,” Ferguson said. “Playing him in that direct role has given him the appetite to be in the box all the time.

“There are moments when he goes into other areas of the pitch but he’s choosing those moments more maturely.

“The main reason he’s scoring the goals is because he’s in the right place at the right time and that’s what goal-scorers do.

“He’s got 20 and I think the crucial part of the season is coming up and he could easily get to above 30. The ratio at the moment suggests that.

“Only with experience can young players get that maturity and authority in their game. It’s the same for every player.

“When I got to 24 or 25 I started to understand myself more and every player’s like that, not just Wayne Rooney.”

Recent revelations that United’s debts have reached almost 720 million pounds have fuelled speculation that Real Madrid or Barcelona could succeed with a massive bid for Rooney.

But Ferguson has been reassured by the striker’s assertion that there is nowhere he would rather be.

“There’s always speculation and when other big teams are talking about you it’s nice,” Rooney said. “But as I’ve said many times before, I am a United player and I am very happy at Old Trafford.”

Rooney added: “We’ve won the League for the last three years and nobody has ever won four in a row. We want to create history. The title race is much tighter this year and it’s probably more exciting for the neutrals or fans around the country.

“But we’re hoping that now we are top we can go on and remain there for the rest of the season.”

United’s derby clash with City is sure to be played in a febrile atmosphere with the stakes having been raised by the public spat between Gary Neville and former United striker Carlos Tevez that erupted during the first leg.

There was also trouble off the field and the Football Association and Greater Manchester Police have contacted both clubs in an attempt to ensure there are no repeats on Wednesday night.

But Ferguson was adamant that he has no concern about his players allowing the intense atmosphere to go to their heads.

He said: “It’s always a key factor when we have had feisty games in terms of the competitive level in Manchester United against Liverpool and Leeds United-Manchester United games since I?ve been here, and the players’ behaviour has always been good.

“We’ve got great players who play to the right rules of the game and we’ve never had any issues in big games. Look at the record.”

Ferguson admits he has been impressed with the work done by Roberto Mancini, who replaced Mark Hughes as City manager last month.

“I think there’s no doubt he’s got his own way of planning things and we saw that last week with the changes he made in the game. He’s brought his own ideas and that’s what managers do.”

Ferguson also hinted that Rio Ferdinand, who returned for the 4-0 win over Hull after three months out with a back injury, would face City rather than being rested ahead of Sunday’s vital Premier League game against Arsenal.