Wayne Rooney has hit back at critics that say he can not shoulder the burden of being Manchester United’s main striker, and he is confident that his nine-game goal drought will be broken soon.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, the United captain was confident that his goalscoring touch would find itself in the coming fixtures. “It would be nice to get off the mark. I’ve had one bad game this season and everyone’s all over it. I’ve had that all throughout my career, but hopefully at the weekend against Newcastle I can get off the mark,” he said.
Manager Louis van Gaal placed his faith in Rooney as United’s main striker this season, but the 29-year old hasn’t scored a competitive fixture since scoring at Old Trafford against Aston Villa in April, and the pressure has increased after drawing a blank in the first three games of the season against Tottenham, Villa and Club Brugge.
Rooney admitted that his performance against Villa on Friday night was below par. “I’m an honest guy, I know when I haven’t played well and against Aston Villa I was below my standards and I know that. I lost the ball too easily a lot of times and I’m aware of that. It’s not a game I’ll want to look back on (fondly) but you have games like. You have to move on.
“It’s early on in the season. Everyone will write about the end of last season and the beginning of this but we’re three games into the new season, it’s down to me to keep going. I’ve experienced this before and the goals will come, I know that.
“I always set myself standards and I try to reach them. I understand it’s on me to get the goals but Memphis Depay scored two against Brugge and Marouane Fellaini. Everyone has to chip in.
“But I understand I need to be the one who leads that line for us and try to get the goals for us.
“I’m still confident about getting 20-plus goals. I just have to keep putting myself in the right positions and hopefully one will come.
“My mind’s clear. I know how to play the role. It’s just a case of getting the chances and taking them, which I’m hopeful I’m going to do soon.”
The United front-line has been significantly weakened by the departures of Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao from Old Trafford, although Javier Hernandez has returned from his loan spell at Real Madrid. With Louis van Gaal dropping his interest in Barcelona’s Pedro, it will be up to Rooney to lead from the front, and there is no doubt that if he can find his goalscoring touch, he has the ability to do so.
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