Manchester United 4-0 West Brom: Long to Wayne over us

After the week that was for Wayne Rooney, it's hard to come up with new superlatives which do justice to his burgeoning talent.

But West Brom skipper and former Manchester United midfielder Jonathan Greening had a good stab at it when he claimed there's no better player in the world right now.

That's a bold statement bearing in mind the genius of Lionel Messi and Kaka, not to mention that team-mate of Rooney who wears the United No.7 shirt.

Yet Greening claims none of them is in better form than Rooney after watching him crown a magnificent seven days by beating the Baggies almost single-handedly at Old Trafford.

Greening feels he is unstoppable in this mood, and can even see a touch of Gazza about him.

"Rooney is just awesome, isn't he?" said Greening. "He's one of the best players in the world - if not the best - even at his young age.

"In the world today you've got class players like Messi, but we're lucky in England to have a player like Wayne Rooney because he's somebody who can change a game, a bit like Gazza did.

"I watched him play for England in midweek against Belarus and he was awesome.

There's just no stopping him at the moment.

"The really scary thing about Wayne is he's still only 22, so his best years are still ahead of him.

They say you don't hit your best form until you're 27 or 28 so I dread to think what he'll be like when he's that age."

Rooney started up front alongside Dimitar Berbatov, but positions mean little these days at United and he continually interchanged with the Bulgarian and Cristiano Ronaldo, pulling West Brom's defence all over the vast expanse at Old Trafford.

Greening feels the current debate over where to play him is something of a red herring, stating his best position is simply on the pitch.

"It doesn't matter where Alex Ferguson plays him," he said.

"You've just got to let him play where he feels he will be effective.

"If he's getting joy down the left, he'll go there and if he's getting joy down the right, he'll go there. If he's getting joy in the hole, he'll play there. He's just an amazing player. He's fast, strong and has a great football brain. I don't think there's a weakness in his game."

Despite scoring one and making two of United's four goals, what was most impressive about Rooney's virtuoso performance was his work-rate and will to win.

Former Old Trafford idol Bryan Robson watched from the TV studio and Rooney's desire to drive United on was reminiscent of Captain Marvel's bloody minded determination.

Had it not been for Rooney, this might have been another one of those frustrating evenings for United as West Brom, expertly organised by Tony Mowbray, held them at bay for nearly an hour.

Rooney had an effort harshly disallowed for a shove on Gianni Zuiverloon and was twice denied by the impressive Scott Carson.

Other players' heads might have dropped at these setbacks, but he just knuckled down even more and on 55 minutes latched on to Berbatov's pass down the left channel before cutting inside past Zuiverloon to score his eighth goal in his last six games for club and country.

Carson thwarted him again with another great save before the Scouser set up Ronaldo to slot home United's second on 69 minutes.

With West Brom's defences breached, Berbatov touched home Nani's deflected effort to neth is first goal at Old Trafford, and Nani crowned a beautiful counter-attack involving the superb Ryan Giggs, Berbatov and Rooney to make it 4-0.

Ferguson must be thrilled by the way Rooney, who doesn't turn 23 until Friday, is maturing in to the consummate professional and in his various TV interviews afterwards the England man talked about the importance of the team rather than bask in any personal glory.

"I'm playing possibly the best football of my career at the moment," he said. "I feel really fit, I'm really enjoying it and the team are really helping me with everything. Hopefully I can help the team win some more trophies. I'm really pleased with my form. I've probably not had a better week in professional football.

"I've played well for England, we won both games, I got four goals, and I've scored again for United and we've won, so I'm really pleased and hopefully I can keep playing like this."

Next in the firing line are Celtic tomorrow and Gordon Strachan must be hopingh is old gaffer decides Rooney needs the night off after all his heroics.

Rooney can't wait for this latest instalment in the Battle OfBritain and called on United fans to pump up the volume at Old Trafford for the Champions League clash.

"I'm sure it will be a fantastic atmosphere against Celtic," he said. "It's really hostile up there so hopefully we can return the favour and our fans will make it a really hostile night for them.

I'm sure the players will give the fans a really good performance."

Manchester United: Van der Sar 6, Da Silva 7 (Neville 65, 6), Vidic 6, Ferdinand 7, Evra 6 (O'Shea 36, 6), Ronaldo 7, Fletcher 6, Giggs 8, Park 6 (Nani 70, 7), Berbatov 7, Rooney 9. Goals: Rooney 56, 69, Berbatov 71, Nani 90
West Bromwich Albion: Carson 7, Zuiverloon 6, Olsson 7, Donk 6, Robinson 7, Morrison 5, Greening 5, Koren 5 (Moore 71, 5), Brunt 6, Valero 6, Bednar 6 (Miller 53, 6).
Referee: Mark Halsey
Attendance: 75,451

MAN OF THE MATCH
9 Wayne Rooney (MAN UTD)
He just keeps on getting better and better. Capped a brilliant week with a double.

VILLAIN OF THE MATCH
4 Mark Halsey
Even he could not halt the Rooney bandwagon when he chalked off his first-half strike

NEXT THREE GAMES
MANCHESTER UNITED
Tuesday: Celtic (h) Chmps Lge
Saturday: Everton (a) Prem
Wed Oct 29: West Ham (h) Prem

WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Saturday: Hull (h) Prem
Tue Oct 28: Newcastle (a) Prem
Sat Nov 1: Blackburn (h) Prem

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