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Ambrosini hails `star' Rooney AC Milan skipper Massimo Ambrosini has declared Wayne Rooney to be "a complete player".

Rooney's profile has shot up over the last few months, with both Fabio Capello and Sir Alex Ferguson declaring the 24-year-old to be among the best players in the world.

And it seems the view is not one exclusive to Rooney's domestic audience.

After his two-goal contribution to Manchester United's 3-2 first-leg win in the San Siro three weeks ago, the Italian media were in awe of the striker, with Ambrosini offering his own fulsome praise.

"Rooney is considered to be a star player on the world stage," said the Italy international.

"He is better than in the past. He has improved and is now a complete player. He is one of the best in the world at the moment." Ambrosini's words were echoed by coach Leonardo, who must try and find a way of stopping United's talisman, whilst retaining enough attacking invention in his own side to help them become the first team to beat the Red Devils in a two-legged game after losing the opener on home soil.

"Rooney is a fixed point of reference in the United team," said the Brazilian.

"It is incredible to see the way he has developed, grown and matured as a player.

"Maybe it has had something to do with Cristiano Ronaldo leaving because it meant he needed to step up." United boss Ferguson expects David Beckham to be consigned to the AC Milan bench for his emotional Old Trafford return.

Beckham flew into Manchester on Tuesday lunchtime to the usual overwhelming greeting, covered live on TV no less, with fans eager to get autographs and photographs of England's footballing icon.

What Beckham really craves, though, is the chance to play , and face his former club at Old Trafford for the first time since leaving for Real Madrid in 2003.

Yet if it happens, Ferguson does not believe it will be from the kick-off.

In trying to ignore what he feels is the circus that surrounds Beckham, his analysis of the Milan side aiming to become the first to beat United in a two-legged tie having lost the opening game on home soil does not include the former England skipper.

"I am finding it difficult to pick their team but I don't know whether Beckham will start," said Ferguson.

"I have not got that down in my conclusions about their team.

"He has not started a game since the first leg, so it is difficult to say what impact he will have on the game.

"But he will be there and the one thing you have to be aware of is his delivery of the ball, which is fantastic.

Man Utd vs AC Milan

Last modified 22:43 10/03/10

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The past is important but it is the present and future that matters at Old Trafford.

And on a night when the message to the Glazers was as strong as the one Manchester United sent out to the rest of Europe, it was fitting that Wayne Rooney ensured David Beckham did not capture all the attention.

Rooney’s remarkable season simply gets better with every week, a one-man mission to take United to the Promised Land.

As Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid were humiliated on home turf, £200million well spent indeed, United’s path to the Bernabeu opened up yet wider.

Maybe not as wide as the chasm that separated Fergie’s men from a Milan side seemingly sponsored by Saga, a Night of the Living Dead performance by a team of ghosts.

United, by contrast, are alive and living the moment and the dream, and nobody encapsulates that more than Rooney.

Two goals in the San Siro illustrated Rooney’s claims to the glittering individual prizes, even if they will probably be determined by deeds in South Africa in June and July.

But last night, the Scouse superstar demonstrated once again just how captivating, irrepressible and unstoppable he is becoming with another brace taking his United tally for the campaign to 30 - and with up to 14 more games to come.

Rooney is now the player we all hoped he could be when he burst onto the scene as a teenage prodigy.

The talisman for England, the inspiration of United, the man who makes the difference nearly every time he walks onto the pitch.

Yet even Fergie could not really have envisaged how he would grab the mantle yielded up by Ronaldo.

He has, though, and within 46 minutes of a game that was dominated by United to a staggering degree, Rooney had ensured the final quarter of the tie was merely about the statistics.

It was not that long ago that Rooney's lack of prowess with his head was earmarked as his weakness, the area of his game which lacked the precision required.

Not any more, not after seven successive scoring headers, a run completed after just 13 minutes as all Milan’s vulnerabilities were exposed.

Gary Neville was allowed to saunter forward, not for the first time, waiting until he chose to deliver for Rooney to get in front of alleged marker Daniele Bonera and nod past the roly-poly form of keeper Christian Abbiati.

No surprise really. With the exception of Ronaldinho in the first half and Beckham in his impressive 25 minute cameo, United were first to everything, sharper to every ball, more determined in every challenge.

There was a brief, illusory spell before Rooney’s opener, which saw Ronaldinho head inches wide before Klaas Jan Huntelaar failed to control in front of the net.

But once Rooney burst Milan’s bubble, it was, to be honest, too easy, not even close to a contest.

Park Ji-Sung monstered Andrea Pirlo, Darren Fletcher hunted the ball down, Antonio Valencia destroyed Marek Jankulovski as Milan looked older and older with every passing minute.

And, of course, when it mattered there was Rooney, proven once again in the first 60 seconds after the restart.

Nani scampered down the left, outfoxing the Milan defence as he squirted across with the outside of his right foot.

Rooney, though, had read the winger’s intentions, streaking into the wide open space and sliding home without breaking his stride.

Game over, tie over, with the rest about how many United would be happy to settle for.

The third duly arrived before the hour, more evidence of Milan’s lack of urgency.

Paul Scholes, soon to pick up a Champions League record 33rd booking, spilled through and even though Park let the ball slip away from hi, he still had time to pick his spot in the bottom corner.

Cue Beckham, to a standing ovation and roar of approval only matched when he put a green and gold scarf round his neck before disappearing down the tunnel, as the United fans turned their attention to making their protest heard.

The Red Knights will have been buckling on their armour and picking up their lances as the Stretford End demanded the American dragons are slain, waves of antagonism echoing round the ground even as United continued to play with their opponents.

Beckham was the exception, forcing a terrific save from Edwin Van Der Sar and then delivering a series of outstanding centres that deserved to find someone on the end of them.

But Milan did not have the endeavour or the interest in doing do and even though Rooney had been given a breather, United were determined to turn the screw one last time.

They did when Rafael Da Silva, on for Neville, crossed to the back post for the unmarked Fletcher to seal the deal with another fine header, Abbiati once again horribly exposed.

Beckham reserved the final act for himself with his outstanding piece of grandstanding but even old Goldenballs knew he was getting second billing.

Rightly so, too. Becks is a reminder of what United were, Rooney a signpost to what they can become.

And if the questions about filling the Ronaldo-sized hole have not been answered now, they never will be. Cristiano, if you’ve got nothing else to do on May 22, you might want to watch Wazza.