• FA Cup

Crawley defender prepared to kick Rooney out of clash

The FA Cup returns this weekend and three mouthwatering ties are live on ESPN, with Chelsea's replay against Everton getting the action underway on Saturday. Then comes Arsenal's trip to Leyton Orient, followed by a tricky Monday night tie for West Ham against Burnley. Click here for subscription details

Crawley Town defender Kyle McFadzean is hoping to face Wayne Rooney when his side face Manchester United on Saturday, and admits he will happily kick the England attacker in order to keep him quiet.

The former Sheffield United trainee is looking forward to running out at Old Trafford in the fifth round clash, and maintains he isn't worried about the prospect of facing Rooney despite his formidable reputation.

"How would I deal with him [Rooney]? I don't know really," McFadzean said. "All the top-class defenders struggle against him so it won't be easy. If it doesn't work, I'll just have to kick him or something."

Rooney scared a marvellous overhead kick last weekend against Manchester City, a goal he later claimed to be the best of his career, but the centre-back isn't convinced.

"He is a great player. We all saw it with that overhead kick against Man City," McFadzean said. "I saw it on Match of the Day and thought: 'That's going to be me who's going to try and stop him doing that next week'.

"He said it was the best goal he had ever scored but I thought the goal against Newcastle was better. Then again, there was that chip against Portsmouth ... The list goes on really."

Rooney is by no means guaranteed to play of course - with Javier Hernandez likely to be given a start ahead of a busy fixture schedule for Sir Alex Ferguson's side - but if the 25-year-old does make an appearance his opponent is hoping to at least end up swapping shirts at the end of the game.

"There'll be a big queue for his shirt but hopefully I will see him before and jump ahead of everyone else to get it," he noted.

Despite going into the game as heavy underdogs, the 23-year-old insists his Crawley team-mates are all confident that they can spring a major shock and beat the Premier League leaders to progress to the next round.

"It's unbelievable. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said. "I might not be able to play at Old Trafford again so we have to take our chances when they come. Whatever team they put out it will be a good one but we have to go there thinking we can win.

"There's no point in going there expecting to get hammered is there? If we did that then there would be no point in turning up. We all think we have got a chance."

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