David Moyes: Wayne Rooney could go on to emulate some of the greats at Manchester United

Stay On: United boss David Moyes shakes hands with Wayne Rooney after the final whistle at Swansea. (Getty Images)

Manchester United boss David Moyes has called on striker Wayne Rooney to be a Red Devil his entire career and join the likes of Sir Bobby Charlton as one of United’s greats. Rooney’s man-of-the-match performance against Chelsea indicated that he was at Untied to stay.

Moyes shot down any talk of the player leaving at the club’s Carrington training ground, and stated that the issue was finally resolved.

United hope that Rooney will agree to a new contract with just two years remaining on his current deal and Moyes is sure that he can be persuaded to stay and carve a niche for himself among the legends.

“I do think there is a situation where Wayne could go on to emulate some of the greats at Manchester United with the goals he can score,” said the United chief.

“He has already reached great heights but he has got an opportunity to reach the heights of…I wouldn’t say an immortal but, you know, people like Bobby Charlton, as high a pedestal as anyone at this football club can get on.”

Moyes believes that it was the clubs refusal to part with Rooney, which convinced the player that his place was at Old Trafford.

“I think the factor was Manchester United saying they weren’t going to sell him,’ added the manager. “When he realised that, he knuckled down. Hopefully now, Wayne is going to get back to the way everybody knows he can play.

“I’ve been impressed by how he’s gone about it. Ever since day one, since the first day we started back at pre-season, his training has been great. For all the stuff that was supposed to have happened, I’ve never had a minute’s problem with him. He wasn’t a bad lad, he was getting on with his work and, mentally, I felt he was in a pretty good place.’

Sunday’s game marks Moyes’s first return to Merseyside since he left Everton to manage United in May. Moyes had not managed to beat Liverpool even once during his reign as manager of Everton, losing five games and drawing seven.

He said: “I go with a different situation. I go to Anfield with the champions. I go there certainly with a different group of players.

“Liverpool had bigger finances than Everton did but, when it came to the game, it was 11 versus 11. That’s what people judged us on and that’s why the record there is poor. We couldn’t quite compete with them. We did everything we could to try to catch them up.

“It was down to Liverpool having really good teams with people like Xabi Alonso, Mascherano, Torres at his pomp and Steven Gerrard.

“Everybody tells me about the big rivalry between Liverpool and United and it was certainly there when I was at Everton. I would think I’ll get as good a reception as I did before! It’s always been a difficult place to go.”