Two-goal Rooney fires Man Utd to top spot

Mar 14, 2010 - 5:10 PM By GEOFF McALLISTER STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Sir Alex Ferguson challenged Wayne Rooney to beat Cristiano Ronaldo's record goals haul in a season after the England striker's double led Manchester United to a 3-0 win over Fulham on Sunday.

Rooney's second-half brace took his tally to 32 goals, ten shy of Ronaldo's 42 in United's 2008/2009 Premier League and Champions League double winning campaign.

Dimitar Berbatov's last-minute header sealed a comfortable win as the champions returned to the top of the table.

United manager Ferguson said afterwards: "I said a while ago I did not think it was possible for a player to get 42 goals but Wayne is on 32 now. There is a challenge there for him.

"If he can keep scoring goals in the next eight league games and perhaps we will still have another five matches in Europe so you never know, I am not putting it beyond him.

"We are enjoying his good form and enjoying his goals. They are making a big difference for us."

Goals hero Rooney insists he is not motivated by beating Ronaldo's record.

Rooney said: "It is always nice to score goals and I want to score in every game.

"What Cristiano achieved was unbelievable but I am a different person and a different player so I am not comparing myself to him. It does not bother me at all."

In the build-up to the game Ferguson had called on his side to win all of their remaining nine league games to secure a record fourth successive title.

United looked to be feeling the affects of Wednesday's Champions League 4-0 thrashing of AC Milan in a subdued first-half performance.

Berbatov's free header over from Gary Neville's cross was the closest the Red Devils came to finding a way past Mark Schwarzer, who also saved well from Rooney.

It took just a minute of the second half for normal service to resume as Rooney coolly side-footed past Schwarzer from Nani's pinpoint cross.

Bobby Zamora wasted a golden chance to equalise when he was played one on one with Edwin van der Sar but took too long over his shot and allowed Nemanja Vidic to get back and make a block.

Schwarzer showed great reactions to deny Darren Fletcher a second before Rooney doubled his tally in the 84th minute.

Berbatov showed great footwork to beat two Fulham defenders down the right before crossing for Rooney to fire home from close range.

Berbatov completed the scoring by heading in substitute Park Ji-Sung's cross in the dying seconds.

Ferguson believes that goal could prove crucial come the end of the season.

"At the moment it looks like being one of the closest title races in years. It is very tight and goal difference could be important.

"We are four goals ahead of Chelsea but I wish it was 14.

"Fulham with their possession made us work hard and had us chasing the ball a little bit.

"We needed to inject more pace into our game in the second half and getting the goal straight after half time was important."

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson felt the scoreline was hard on his team.

Hodgson said: "I thought the first half for our side was really quite good.

"We deserved more than the 3-0 scoreline and I could not have asked for any more from the players. In the end we got beaten by a better team."