Rooney ready to become the best player in the world

Wayne Rooney says that he is ready to take on the mantle of the best player in the world.

The Manchester United striker is in the form of his life, with 30 goals already this season.

And after Rooney helped United destroy AC Milan, with four goals in two Champions League ties against the ­Italians, David Beckham ­compared him to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

At the age of 24, Rooney feels he will thrive under the burden. He said: “It’s nice to hear people talk about me in that way.

“If it happens and I become recognised as the best player in the world then obviously I’d be delighted.

“I feel that I am ­playing really well at the ­moment and scoring goals, but I’ve got to keep going.

“I am pleased with how it’s going for me, but I’ve got to maintain this kind of form until the end of the season and into the World Cup.”

Rooney added: “I’ve no longer got a goals target ­because I have ­already gone past the target I set for myself at the start of the season.

“Rather than worry about how many goals I might end up with, I just go out looking to score goals in every game I play in. As a striker you want to score goals, but the main thing for me is to go out there and play as well as I can.

“If the goals come that’s great, but the important thing is that I am helping the team.

“To be honest, it has helped me that I have played up front in every game this season.

“I’m even scoring goals with headers now, which wasn’t the strongest part of my game.

“But then that’s because the ­delivery and service from the rest of the team has been so good.

“I’ve been working on my movement and timing in the box, on how to get­ between defenders. All that hard work is starting to pay off.”

United face Fulham at Old Trafford this afternoon – and Rooney has warned the ­Londoners that they face a backlash.

The striker was sent off when United lost at Craven Cottage last season.

And when the champions went to Fulham in December, an under-strength team was humbled 3-0.

Rooney admitted: “It will be ­different circumstances this time when we play ­Fulham and we really owe them one.

“This is a massive part of the season for us and we are ­really coming into form.

“We know it’s going to be a tough game because they have had another good season, but we’re happy with how we are playing at the moment.

“I’ve heard it said ­Arsenal have got the easiest run-in, but there are no easy games in the Premier League.

“At this stage of the season, it doesn’t matter whether you play a team at the top or the bottom – everybody is fighting for something.

“I am sure there will be ­testing games for everyone before the end of the season.

“I don’t think anyone can say they’ve got an easy run-in.

“But to beat a team like AC Milan 4-0 and to score seven goals against them in two matches is going to give us a lot of confidence over the ­coming weeks.”