• Premier League

Fergie sets Rooney 40-goal target, patient on Pogba

ESPN staff
March 11, 2012
Wayne Rooney has now hit 26 goals this season © PA Photos
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Sir Alex Ferguson has set Wayne Rooney a 40-goal target to fire Manchester United to Premier League glory, after his brace led the champions to a 2-0 win over West Brom on Sunday.

Rooney's double took the striker onto 26 for the season and Ferguson believes if he can get himself another 14 in United's final 10 matches, they will not be far off clinching a 20th league title.

"Wayne is on a hot streak," Ferguson said. "I thought his first goal might have been offside because he was so clear but when you see his timing of the run it was fantastic.

"If Wayne gets to 40 goals I will be absolutely delighted because we will be in business then."

Rooney requires another eight goals to equal his best ever haul of 34, scored in his injury-blighted 2009-2010 campaign. That will be a target too, although the 26-year-old is not letting personal aims get in the way of collective achievements.

"Fair enough, Europe has been disappointing, but we have had really tough games in the Premier League,'' Rooney said. "We have played a lot of the top teams. Sometimes we have not been at our best but we have still got the wins.

"I know how many goals I need to achieve it but I am not really focussed on that at the minute. We have 10 games left and I just want to help us get those points we need to be successful. The most important thing is to win trophies.''

Ferguson also insisted the future of Paul Pogba remained unclear after introducing the teenager as a second-half replacement for Paul Scholes despite reports early in the week that he had agreed to join Juventus.

"The boy is still trying to make his mind up but he knows where he should be and he has shown today the potential he has got,'' said Ferguson. "He is a first-team player, there is no question about that.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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