Rooney’s red hot and dangerous

SHEFFIELD: Manchester United hitman Wayne Rooney has set his sights on shooting down second-placed Chelsea when the English Premiership’s top two go head to head.

The England striker is finding peak form at just the right time to make sure Sir Alex Ferguson’s side maintain their slender three point advantage over the champions. He scored both goals as the Red Devils came from a goal down to win 2-1 at Sheffield United on Saturday and is now targeting the match which could well have a huge bearing on Premiership trophy’s final destination this season.

Rooney insisted this win at Bramall Lane guaranteed that the Red Devils would enter Sunday’s showdown confident of securing another win.

“Now we can go there and look to do a job. We are all looking forward to it and confident that we can get a positive result,” said the 21-year-old after he took his season’s goalscoring tally to eight. “This was a great win for us because we knew Sheffield United would make it very difficult.

“I’m obviously pleased to score but the most important thing is the result for the team and getting the three points we needed. I don’t think my season has turned around. I’m scoring more but it’s a team game and the fact we are winning is all that matters.”

Rooney inspired Manchester United to their seventh straight league victory with goals either side of half time at Bramall Lane. The hosts took a shock lead through Keith Gillespie on 14 minutes but the Red Devils showed their battling qualities when Rooney equalised on 30 minutes before hitting what proved to be the winner 16 minutes from time.

Ferguson is convinced his side’s improving cohesion and fighting spirit is driving them on towards another Premiership title. “The important thing from our point of view now is that our maturity is helping us. Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes are doing well in midfield and this is an area we have improved in,” said Fergie. “If we can create the chances then, given the forward players we have got, we are always going to take some of them.”

Meanwhile, Mourinho sends out warning

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insisted he does not fear Manchester United after his side warmed up for their showdown with the Premiership leaders by edging past West Ham on Saturday.

Cameroon defender Geremi’s fine free-kick was enough to help Chelsea see off West Ham 1-0 at Stamford Bridge and enabled Mourinho’s side to maintain the pressure on United, who are just three points ahead of them. The victory means second-placed Chelsea go into next Sunday’s key visit to United in good heart on the back of nine goals without reply in their last three games.

The champions lost at Old Trafford last season but Mourinho is confident his side are in the perfect form to get revenge for that result next week. “It does not matter to me who we are playing next week. It could be City or United, but we will go to Old Trafford knowing that we are playing well,” he said. “It was a satisfactory performance (against West Ham) because we beat a good team. I see the quality of their players and manager and I don’t think they deserve to be in the position they are.”

We had enough chances to kill the game. But we didn’t and in the last five minutes or so they threw a lot of bodies up. However the reality is we were in control and deserved the win.”