Fergie backs Rooney to 'explode'
Sir Alex Ferguson has warned against writing off Wayne Rooney as Manchester United's main goalscoring threat, prophesising that "Rooney will explode again soon".
By ESPNSTAR.com staff
Rooney has struggled to maintain his fitness this season and has seen summer signing Robin van Persie become the chief goal-scorer for the Red Devils.
But Ferguson does not feel that the statistics necessarily tell the full story as Rooney, in the past, has taken time to get into the groove and begin scoring on a regular basis.
The Scotsman is adamant that the England international can shoulder part of the goalscoring burden once he manages to get regular first-team action under his belt.
"I think Rooney will start scoring soon, once he gets a few games back," Ferguson told the Telegraph.
"We know that, his track record tells you that each year he gets better with his finishing.
"I think Rooney will explode again soon, aye. It is just the start of the season."
A source of concern for the United coaching staff has been Rooney's fitness with injuries as well as a lack of proper physique having brought into question the 26-year-old's readiness for games in the Premier League.
Ferguson spoke on the matter and declared: "Rooney is fit, he has trained really well.
"The period he was injured, I think that was key to it. He maintained his fitness which is important because he is a stocky lad.
"He is very stocky, he is going to have to train well all the time, there is no doubt about that."
With United also boasting Danny Welbeck and Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez in their ranks, Ferguson is enjoying healthy competition amongst his strikeforce. But he believes such competition to be necessary for any hopes of sustaining a title thrust.
"If you go back to the season before last, Berbatov scored 20-21 goals, Chicharito scored 22 and Rooney scored 30-something. That was perfect, wasn't it?
"Two players there who took a load off of Rooney in that respect.
"I don't think it matters that much who gets the goals now.
"Van Persie has had a great start, seven goals. If him and Wayne and possibly one of the other strikers, Welbeck or Chicharito, get to around 20, we are in business.
"I think Rooney and Van Persie will get over 20."
Manchester United play Newcastle in the Premier League at the Sports Direct Arena on Sunday.