Friday, October 27, 2006
Van der Sar: We never doubted Roo
Although it is now 10 games since Rooney last found the net, the 21-year-old has proved in recent games the first noticeable dip in form of his fledgling career is now a thing of the past.
Few would bet against the 21-year-old hitting the target against Bolton on Saturday as United look to consolidate their position at the Premiership summit.
And van der Sar feels any talk about Rooney's demise has been well wide of the mark.
"Nobody here has any doubts about Wayne," said the giant Dutchman.
"People regard him very highly and expect a lot of him but even if he was to play 55 games a season, as soon as he goes through a spell where he is not scoring or makes a couple of wrong decisions, people get on his back.
"We all know how it works in England. You just have to see past it."
Although Tomasz Kuszczak was one of the few United players to impress at Crewe in the Carling Cup on Wednesday, van der Sar is certain to return at the Reebok Stadium, where the Red Devils were one of only three sides to beat Bolton in the Premiership last term.
Three wins and a draw on home soil already this season has taken Sam Allardyce's men into the top three and the Trotters know victory, coupled with an unlikely Sheffield United triumph over Chelsea at Bramall Lane, will see them replace tomorrow's opponents at the top.
Not that anyone at Old Trafford is allowing their focus to stray from building on the momentum generated by six successive wins in all competitions following the blip which saw United lose at home to Arsenal, then fail to beat Reading a week later.
"When you look at the teams we have played and the results we have had, it is fair to say we have had the start we were looking for," said van der Sar.
"The Arsenal result was a disappointing one and the draw at Reading was frustrating but overall, we have had the start we were looking for."