Rooney on top of the world

AC Milan 2, Man United 3

Two-goal hero right up there with the best — Ferguson

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 with his second–half double in the momentous 3–2 Champions League win over AC Milan in the San Siro last night.

Ferguson admitted it was fortunate United had not sustained more damage during a one–sided opening in which Ronaldinho gave Milan a third–minute lead and then both he and Klaas Jan Huntelaar failed to take excellent chances to make matters much worse for the visitors.

"That first 20 minutes was a bad period for us," said Ferguson.”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, which Darren Fletcher's cross hit after the former England star had failed to make contact with his intended right–footed shot.

From there it was glory all the way for United until Seedorf struck to set up a nervy last five minutes during which Michael Carrick was shown a second yellow card 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."