The Red Devils' boss is tipping the England striker to increase his tally for the current campaign and highlighted the former Everton prodigy's growing maturity
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney can reach 40 goals for the season and has praised the striker’s maturity.
Rooney has been in lethal form recently and has so far fired 31 goals for Manchester United and England. But despite his superb performances for the league leaders, Ferguson admitted Arsenal’s Robin van Persie is the favourite to be named as Player of the Year.
The Scot told The Guardian: "He could get to 40 goals.
"He has eight matches left, he can average a goal a game; you'd take that, wouldn't you? We would reasonably expect eight more goals.
“Would he get footballer of the year? Well, you have to say that Van Persie has had an exceptional season."
Wayne Rooney is 3.5 with 188Bet to score the first goal in Manchester United's clash with Blackburn Rovers on Monday night.
Rooney, 26, has been praised by his club manager for both his increased self-control and maturity.
"You always see a maturity about players when they reach their mid-20s," said Sir Alex.
"Along with their ability comes the thought patterns and timing. They are more in control of themselves in terms of what they are capable of doing."
The United boss has seen titles both won and lost in his time at Old Trafford and described the pressure of a Premier League run in.
"You get nerves. You are in a football job and it's your life and there is anxiety but not to the point that you get desperate.
"We lost the league in 1992 with four games in six days and to see your lead evaporate like that – it felt like it had disappeared within seconds."
With that experience in mind, Sir Alex conceded that a slip-up could well be around the corner and recalled the points tally he had predicted earlier in the season.
"There could be a shock around the corner now, you never know. We have done well in terms of getting into the position we are and now it is a case of playing our game and keeping our nerve. That is why I was so concerned in the last 15 minutes of the Fulham game when we kept giving the ball away.
"We won the league with 75 points one year – 1997 – and the year we won the treble we did it with 78. I still cannot believe that. Earlier in the season I thought 82 would do it but that won't happen now, will it? That calculation has been stood on its head."
"You always see a maturity about players when they reach their mid-20s," said Sir Alex.
"Along with their ability comes the thought patterns and timing. They are more in control of themselves in terms of what they are capable of doing."
The United boss has seen titles both won and lost in his time at Old Trafford and described the pressure of a Premier League run in.
"You get nerves. You are in a football job and it's your life and there is anxiety but not to the point that you get desperate.
"We lost the league in 1992 with four games in six days and to see your lead evaporate like that – it felt like it had disappeared within seconds."
With that experience in mind, Sir Alex conceded that a slip-up could well be around the corner and recalled the points tally he had predicted earlier in the season.
"There could be a shock around the corner now, you never know. We have done well in terms of getting into the position we are and now it is a case of playing our game and keeping our nerve. That is why I was so concerned in the last 15 minutes of the Fulham game when we kept giving the ball away.
"We won the league with 75 points one year – 1997 – and the year we won the treble we did it with 78. I still cannot believe that. Earlier in the season I thought 82 would do it but that won't happen now, will it? That calculation has been stood on its head."
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