MANCHESTER // Wayne Rooney has urged Manchester United to have the conviction that they can cap their renaissance under Louis van Gaal by challenging to regain the title.
United, who finished seventh last season, slipped to 10th place following November’s Manchester derby defeat, but a run of six successive wins has propelled them up to third.
And while United's goal this season was a top-four finish, captain Rooney is eyeing the possibility of his sixth winner's medal in the Premier League.
“We have to believe we can win the title,” he said. “We are eight points behind [leaders Chelsea] and coming into a busy period. If we can win our games and the others have one bad result, then there is nothing there.”
United’s dressing rooms have tended to be staffed by serial winners, but the exodus of some of Alex Ferguson’s side, plus the signings of seven players in 2014 and the introduction of a younger group from the youth team, means Rooney is one of comparatively few with the experience of lifting trophies at Old Trafford.
“We have been here before, but we have a lot of new players and this is where the experience of myself, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher can rub off on the other players,” he said.
Van Gaal only claimed 13 points from his first 10 games, but Rooney said the United team appreciate his blunt approach and different methods.
“We all bought into his ways,” he said. “He is a great manager. He is great with the players. He is honest with the players who are playing and those who aren’t, which is great.”
United’s sixth straight win, against Liverpool on Sunday, featured a man-of-the-match performance from goalkeeper David de Gea, prompting Rooney to declare him the best on the planet.
“David was the same last season,” he said. “In my eyes, he is the best keeper in the world. The performances he has shown for us have been fantastic. He is not as tall as some other keepers, but his spring and reach is really long.”
De Gea joined United in 2011 as a 20-year-old replacement for the veteran Edwin van Sar, 40, and Ferguson dropped the young Spaniard during difficult periods.
Rooney added: “He came through a tough patch early on in his career here and he is starting to prove what a top keeper he is. To play in goal at Manchester United at 20 is difficult, especially trying to replace Edwin van der Sar, who was a fantastic keeper.”
Rooney was a scorer against Liverpool, despite starting in midfield, and he believes his future could lie in a deeper role.
“You see top players like Michael Owen retire. He was one of the world’s best players, but I don’t think he could drop back into midfield, so once his pace had gone through injuries that was kind of the end,” he said.
“But I feel I can drop back, and I am sure it will give me an extra few years at the end of my career.”
sports@thenational.ae
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
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The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
Torque: 66Nm
Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
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