Wayne Rooney is Back

Manchester United winger Nani believes Wayne Rooney will play a very significant part in the team's attempts to secure another Premier League title after getting back to scoring ways in the victory over Aston Villa.

"Wayne will go on a run now," said Nani. "He might not have scored many goals but he is very important for the team because he works so hard in every game.

"Sometimes the games haven't gone the way he wanted but Tuesday night was his best performance of this season. He will be more confident now and I am sure he will score more goals in the next few games."

Manchester United’s victory over Aston Villa means they have equalled their best ever record of 29 games without defeat, matching their treble winning success season in 1999.

Rooney is sure to find best his best form

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists he is not concerned by the form of Wayne Rooney.

The 25-year-old's performances have improved markedly since he resolved his differences with United during a mad week in October, but the goals have still not started to flow.

Wayne Rooney

While Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez have 20 and 11 to their credit respectively, Rooney remains stuck on three, two of which came from the penalty spot.

There has even been speculation that Rooney could find himself on the substitutes' bench at Old Trafford tonight as United look to consolidate their five-point advantage at the top of the Barclays Premier League table by overcoming Aston Villa.

Yet Ferguson has played down concerns about Rooney's impact, insisting he looks far beyond the goals column when assessing a player's contribution to the Red Devils cause.

"Some of our critics are making a meal out of the fact that Wayne Rooney is lagging behind in the goal stakes," Ferguson told United Review.

"He is, compared with the bucketload he scored last year, but I am not worried.

"It is the scoring partnership that matters and the combination between our two front men has improved beyond all recognition.

"Last year, Wayne benefited from Dimitar's work but this year it is Berbatov enjoying the last touch.
"If we finish the season with Berbatov scoring 30 and Wayne on 10 - and those are the targets I have in mind - I will be more than happy.

"That is what I call a successful strike partnership, reminiscent of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke."

Wayne Rooney has the talent for acting, says Mexican director

When Wayne Rooney bids adieu to soccer, he is most likely to be a Hollywood leading man, says Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

The Mexican directed 'Nike's Write The Future' ad for 2010 World Cup in which striker Rooney acted several roles, including a bearded tramp.

"Wayne Rooney was super-comfortable with the camera. I said to him, 'I will offer you a role once you are a little older and you are done with football'. He will have a good Hollywood career, I'm sure," the Sun quoted him as saying.

"Wayne is a natural. He's from the streets and has a warrior appeal that could serve him well in movies," he added. -ANI-

England Vs. Ukraine, Wayne Rooney Dirty Tackle

Reviewing the evidence it is hard to argue against those who are critical of Rooney’s recklessly behaviour, after the Manchester United striker was fortunate not to see red for an over-zealous tackle on Oleksandr Aliev during the second half of the England-Ukraine match on Wednesday night.

Rooney, having lost possession in the opponent's half and desperate to retrieve the ball, appeared to once again lose his head as the England No. 10 threw himself into a challenge with Aliev for the loose ball.

Without question Rooney got a large chunk of the ball but, unfortunately for Aliev, he was also mowed down by the Red Devil leaving the Ukrainian forward writhing around on the floor in agony.

As many have pointed out, Rooney can count himself lucky that the referee on call at Wembley allowed the incident to slide. It was not the time, nor the place for a reckless lunge at an opponent. The laws of the game are today designed to protect footballers from such potentially bone-crunching tackles, and footballers know that they cannot be so reckless anymore without expecting to be punished.

Simply making contact with the ball does not mean that a tackle is not dangerous. It was, and Rooney would usually have been sent off for his behaviour.

The fear is of course that, having seen Rooney repeatedly commit the same fouls, at some stage down the line it is inevitable that Wayne’s temper will sabotage England’s success. Lest we forget World Cup 2006.

Wayne's FA Cup dream

Wayne Rooney has revealed that he wants to fulfil his boyhood dream and add the FA Cup to his Old Trafford trophy collection.

United take on Everton in the semi-finals at Wembley on Sunday 19 April, with Chelsea and Arsenal fighting it out in the other last four tie the day before.

Rooney was on the losing side in extra time of the final last season against Chelsea, and also tasted defeat against Arsenal on penalties in 2005.

Those experiences merely mean Rooney will redouble his efforts to win the trophy this term.

“I’m desperate to win the FA Cup,” Wayne told Inside United.

“If I’m honest, it’s the trophy I wanted to win the most when I was younger. Like most kids, I grew up dreaming of scoring the winner in a cup final at Wembley.

“Also, as an Everton fan I wasn’t under any illusions that we were good enough to win the league, so the cup competitions were much more realistic.

“The FA Cup has such a big history, and that’s stuck with me all these years. I’ve played in two finals with United and lost them both and that’s a horrible feeling. I really want to win it this season. That would be a dream come true.”

The 23 year-old will hopefully prove to be a pivotal figure for the Reds this season - and, Rooney hopes, for many more years to come.

“I hope I’m still at United when I’m the same age as guys like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville," he added.

"I’ve always said that as as long as Unietd want me, I’m happy to stay at the club. I don’t want to leave. I love United and I have no reason to think about moving. I’m sure I’ll be here for a long time."

Rooney revels with England

Wayne Rooney believes England are progressing under Fabio Capello following Saturday's 4-0

victory over Slovakia.

The Manchester United forward scored a double, while Emile Heskey and Frank Lampard also netted at Wembley.

Rooney's brace took his tally to seven in the last four international appearances, and he is revelling in his role for England.

"I am enjoying it," he said. "The team is progressing really well. Hopefully we can keep winning and I keep scoring.

"Steve [Gerrard] and me changed positions a lot and it seemed to work.

"I am getting on the ball and getting in space. We played quite well together.

Coleen Rooney is pregnant

WAYNE and Coleen Rooney are expecting a baby, it was revealed today.

Ecstatic Coleen, 22, is three months pregnant, according to close pals.

She and England ace Wayne, 23 - man of the match in Saturday's win over Slovakia - are said to be "absolutely thrilled".

The baby - due in September - will have a specially converted nursery in the couple's £3.5million Cheshire mansion, it's claimed.

Wayne and Coleen's official spokesman refused to comment - but a source close to the couple said of the news: "They don't know whether it's a boy or a girl yet ... they don't mind either way."

Get More Story

In January Coleen was pictured on holiday in the Caribbean in a bikini with a slight tummy bulge.

Pals have also revealed the mum-to-be has been "lying low" for the last few weeks, saying she has a cold.

She was spotted taking things easy this week - getting her mother and brother to push a heavily-laden trolley round a supermarket for her.

Industry insiders predicted last night that the first picture of the Rooney baby could fetch as much as £1million - a new UK record.

Wayne and Coleen's spokesman said: "These pregnancy rumours have been too numerous to comment on and we gave up doing so a long time ago."

One-game ban for Wayne Rooney

Rooney escapes further ban

Wayne Rooney has escaped a fresh FA rap over his red card at Fulham. The striker will miss his side’s clash with Aston Villa on 5 April as he serves a one-match ban. But ref Phil Dowd confirmed Rooney did not swear at him after his second booking. Soho Square chiefs will let the star off with a written warning for punching the corner flag as he went off. An FA spokesman said: “We clarified with Phil Dowd that there was no abuse from the player after he was dismissed. In relation to the incident when he punched the corner flag, we have written to Wayne reminding him of his responsibilities.”
Neil Custis, The Sun

The Sun also claims Villa are appealing Brad Friedel's red card against Liverpool. At the moment he'll be suspended for their visit to OT a week on Sunday.

It's painful sifting through the pro-Liverpool hype, but the Telegraph's Kevin Garside offers a different view, suggesting United "can still ruin Rafa's wonderland". He writes: "Triumphalism is a dangerous indulgence in March", adding: "Liverpool can win their remaining nine fixtures and still fall short, not that many in Rafa's wonderland are giving that notion much thought."