Ferguson wants match-fit Rooney

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson feels striker Wayne Rooney is still lacking full match fitness.

Despite Rooney putting in his one of most impressive display of the season so far against Reading on Saturday, Ferguson believes that the 27-year-old needs more games to reach his peak and plans to field him against Cluj in the Champions League on Wednesday.

“Wayne needs to play a lot of games to get his match fitness up. He’s a strong-built lad and when he misses two games it takes him three games to come back,” Ferguson told reporters on Tuesday.

“It’s the way he’s always been. He’ll play tomorrow night and hopefully that brings him on further. On Saturday, that was his best performance of the season so far.”

Ferguson challenged Rooney to improve his goal-scoring record on Friday and the forward responded with a key role in United’s thrilling 4-3 victory against Reading, with two goals and an assist for Robin van Persie’s winner.

With the Manchester derby to come on Sunday, Ferguson has confirmed his intention to give chances to some fresh players in Wednesday’s Champions League tie, while ruling Nemanja Vidic out of both that game and the Manchester City clash.