Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Neville backs Rooney to break Utd record
GARY Neville believes Wayne Rooney could one day beat Sir Bobby Charlton's scoring record for Manchester United.
Rooney has not even reached the halfway point in the chase to reach Charlton's milestone of 249.
However, he did take his current tally to 102 with his crucial penalty against Arsenal on Saturday, leaving the 23-year-old 18th on the all-time list behind such notables as Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo, who found the net on 118 occasions.
Of his present team-mates, both Ryan Giggs - who eclipsed Charlton's appearance record in the 2008 Champions League final - and Paul Scholes have both scored more often.
But Rooney does have time on his side and, having pledged his long-term future to the club he joined from Everton as an 18-year-old in 2004, the £27million star could get much closer.
"There is a long time to go before he gets there but Wayne does have an opportunity to beat Bobby Charlton's scoring record," said Neville.
"He will have to play a lot more games and stay clear of injury because that record has stood for many years and will be very difficult to break.
"But a player of his ability should score goals. He plays centre-forward for Manchester United. That points you in the right direction."
United will hope Rooney returns from England duty unscathed because, having stuck to his pledge not to make any late purchases in the transfer window, Ferguson has placed his trust in the Merseysider to provide United's attacking thrust over the next few months.
Ferguson has more of his first-team squad around than usual during an international break, with Rio Ferdinand continuing his fight for fitness alongside Giggs, Neville, Scholes, Michael Owen, Anderson and Tomasz Kuszczak, all of whom will come into contention for the tricky encounter with Tottenham on September 12.
