Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Fergie tells Owen to have patience
MICHAEL Owen has been issued with a "be patient" message from Sir Alex Ferguson - but the United boss still expects a bagful of goals from the striker.
It is four and a half years since Owen's last Champions League appearance and nearly five years since his last goal in the competition.
His extra-time substitute appearance for Real Madrid when he came on for Raul against Juventus in March 2005 was his last Euro outing.
The 29-year-old summer signing's last Champions League goal came in October 2004 for the Spaniards against Dynamo Kiev.
Ferguson says his United debut in the tournament is set to be on hold with a bench seat in Istanbul against Besiktas tonight his best hope.
The stop-start opening to the campaign has meant Fergie has been unable to get any continuity for his first choice spearhead of Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov.
But the Anglo-Bulgarian axis is set to be given time to bed in at Owen's expense.
Owen, who was picked up as a free agent in the close season, has so far has started just one match in the defeat at Burnley. He has made three sub appearances and scored at Wigan.
But the carrot of an England recall with the World Cup in South Africa next summer could be frustratingly dangled out of his reach as the United manager plans to give his £60m attack an extended run.
"Owen has not been involved and I explained that to him," said Sir Alex.
"The season has not really started because of the internationals and we are not really playing Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday-Wednesday yet.
"So Owen doesn't come in to the equation because we are trying to get a blend of Berbatov and Rooney. But he will play plenty of games, just maybe not early. But he will get us 15-20 goals this season."
Owen and Berbatov have managed just one goal apiece so far but Rooney is storming ahead in the Old Trafford goalscoring charts.
Including the Community Shield hit against Chelsea the England forward has bagged six goals in six games for United.
Fergie wants the 23-year-old to keep that sequence going.
"Wayne has started well with his scoring, that's the first things to say," Fergie added.
"We need a couple of players to get us more than 20 goals there is no doubt about that.
"Our goal ratio last season was very poor. We only scored 68 goals in the league. There was one season (1999-2000) when we got 98 goals!
"Last season was an unusual one in terms of goals scored so we need players to get us over 20 and Wayne has started the campaign well.
"He has five league goals and that's terrific."
The United boss doesn't believe the departure of main man Cristiano Ronaldo has seen Rooney consciously grasp the nettle to be the Reds major force.
"No I don't think so at all," he said. "There is no difference between this and last season in terms of desire or anything. He is always wanting to score goals.
"He just needs consistency. He goes in bunches of sixes and sevens and then goes quiet for a few weeks and then comes back again."
Meanwhile, Fergie has had a cheerful pop at the doubters who'd questioned the champion's strength this season.
"It will be really hard to win the league. Chelsea are strong and Spurs was a test. Some guy said it was the worst United team in years!
"That was a beauty. The worst team in years, maybe it will be! Maybe we will only win the league."
