Source: Daily_Mail
Fergie predicts Rooney will smash 30-goal barrier after Milan double
Sir Alex Ferguson is banking on Wayne Rooney to smash through the 30-goal barrier this season.It is not too much of a target for the Manchester United striker given he took his tally to 25 - a new personal record - with his second-half double in the momentous 3-2 Champions League win over AC Milan in the San Siro.But Ferguson feels the goalscoring aspect of Rooney's game is driving him on to a new level, right to the very top of the world game. Head master: Wayne Rooney plants the first of his two headed goals against AC Rooney's record at United2004-05: 17 goals2005-06: 19 goals2006-07: 23 goals2007-08: 18 goals2008-09: 20 goals2009-10: 25 goals 'He could break 30,' declared the United boss. 'This season in particular, over the last two months, there has beena marked improvement in his game. Confidence has a lot to do with it ofcourse.'I just felt he had to improve his goalscoring, which is what he is doing now. His overall performance was absolutely devastating. Milan couldn't handle him. They just couldn't handle him.'He has to be regarded at the highest level, along with all the other players we know about.'Rooney's magic appeared to have confirmed United's place in the lasteight, only for Clarence Seedorf to give Milan a glimmer of hope.In fact, Ferguson admitted it was fortunate United had not sustainedmore damage during a one-sided opening in which Ronaldinho gave Milan athird-minute lead and then both he and Klaas Jan Huntelaar failed totake excellent chances to make matters much worse for the visitors.'That first 20 minutes was a bad period for us,' said Ferguson. Off night: Sir Alex Ferguson says Michael Carrick gave the referee no option not to send him off in the closing stages of the first leg tie after kicking the ball away'We could have been two or three down because the bad start gave Milan encouragement.'But we were desperate to hang on and thankfully we got ourselves back into it.'The visitors managed that through Paul Scholes' left shin, whichDarren Fletcher's cross hit after the former England star had failed tomake contact with his intended right-footed shot. From there it was glory all the way for United until Seedorf struck to set up anervy last five minutes during which Michael Carrick was shown a second yellowcard for time-wasting, ruling him out of the Old Trafford return on March 10.'I didn't know what it was for at first but then I was told he kicked the ball away,' said Ferguson.'It was a soft red card but when you do something like that you are not really giving the referee any option.' AC Milan 2 Manchester United 3: Wayne Rooney looks a world-beater as striker puts United in command after lucky Paul Scholes strike wrong-foots MilanHeadmaster! Towering Wayne Rooney is Manchester United's hero in the San SiroSan Siro Match Zone: Wayne Rooney's evil glare and the Green and Gold ArmyMARTIN SAMUEL: Beckham gets red blooded return his passion deservesMANCHESTER UNITED FC