Rooney: Reds set the standard for City slickers
After helping Manchester United to secure a place in the Champions League final, Rooney’s attentions now switch to Sunday’s eagerly-anticipated derby encounter with Mark Hughes’ men at Old Trafford.
No-one in the United camp needs any reminding that City chose the commemoration of 50 years since the Munich air tragedy to end their 34-year wait for a win at the Theatre of Dreams.
Since then, the Blue camp has received a massive injection of funds from their new Abu Dhabi-based owners, which effectively makes them top of the Rich List.
Lofty ambitions have been replaced by more realistic ambitions, with Rooney pointing to United’s current status as world champions as evidence the old order still remains.
“It is down to them what they do with their money,” said the England striker. “But we know we are the best team in the world at the minute. It is there for them to see.
“Sunday is just one game of football and you cannot read too much into it.
“But it still hurts that they did the double over us last season, so we will be looking to do the same to them, having won at Eastlands.”
Rooney scored the only goal that day, part of an overall contribution to United’s season which is cementing his position amongst the most influential players in world football.
“I am enjoying my football,” he admitted. “It is that time of the season when you want to be at your best and I think I am.”
Cristiano Ronaldo hogged yesterday’s headlines after drilling home a spectacular 40-yard free-kick on Tuesday night before starting and finishing a flowing three-man move to slide home his 25th goal of the season.
“Cristiano is an unbelievable player,” said Rooney. For the second goal the ground he made up to get into the box after he laid off the initial pass was amazing. He was so quick.
“He has been playing like he did last season for a while now. Despite what everyone says he has still scored 25 goals which is a great tally.”
Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand has declared he would not swap any of his team-mates as they attempt to carve their names into the history books.
“I wouldn’t swap any of our players for anyone in any other team,” said the England defender. “I look at other players around the world and then look at the ones in our dressing room and I am delighted to be in there.
“I hear a lot of people talking about various players being the best in the world but I am very happy with ours.”
However, Ferdinand is cautious. The recent FA Cup semi-final defeat to Everton is proof the better team does not always triumph in a one-off game.
And while he was still a schoolboy in 1992 when Ferguson’s team led the league by a point, with a game in hand and only four left to play, only to lose three on the trot and with it the title to Leeds, it is a reminder plenty can still go wrong.
“I’ll only be able to tell you after the final whether we are the best United team or not,” said the 30-year-old.
“We haven’t won anything this season. If we don’t win the league and Champions League went belly up then we wouldn’t be talked about as a successful side, let alone the best one, so we have a lot to play for.”
Having won the most important trophy once, he is desperate to experience it again. And he knows for United as a club that would mean a fourth triumph, placing them alongside Ajax and Bayern Munich and only one adrift of Liverpool in the overall pantheon of European greats.
“It is all right saying we should have won more European Cups but the fact is we haven’t. It is something we have to change,” he added.
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