Ferguson Demands a Goal a Game from Roonatic

Sir Alex Ferguson believes that if Manchester United star striker Wayne Rooney keeps up his form and scores at least one goal per match in the remaining fixtures, then United could clinch their 20th league title with ease, according to a report in The Sun.

Rooney has scored 21 goals from 26 league matches so far and with eight matches to go, the United boss has backed his striker to continue finding the goals.

"Wayne has scored something like 17 out of 17. He can keep averaging a goal a game - eight more goals - we could reasonably expect that. Goals are definitely going to be a factor in the championship," The Sun quoted the manager as saying.

"We've had 18 goalscorers this season which is good. Berbatov has nine, Welbeck 10 and Chicharito 12. Usually, we have had one outstanding scorer - Cristiano Ronaldo or Rooney. Last year, the sensation was Chicharito," the Scot added.

Ferguson's team has the opportunity to pull out a five-point lead over rivals Manchester City, if they can win against Blackburn at Ewood Park on Monday night. City could only manage a 3-3 draw, at home, against Sunderland, in their Saturday night fixture.

However, United have not won away at Blackburn since October 2008 and even lost to Steve Kean's side when they visited Old Trafford on New Year's Eve and Ferguson knows this could be a tough fixture, especially with Blackburn fighting hard to avoid relegation.

"We never have it easy up there. Points will be dropped at some stage - you just hope you don't drop as many as your rivals. We won the league with 75 points in 1997 and the year we won the Treble we did it with 78. I still cannot believe that. Earlier this season, I thought 82 would do it, but not now," the veteran manager added.

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