ROONEY USES KILLER INSTINCT TO KNOCK DOWN POMPEY

MANCHESTER UNITED 5 PORTSMOUTH 0

Wayne Rooney has always been a dangerous animal – particularly where Pompey are concerned – but now he is a cold-eyed killer.

That was the description Patrice Evra gave of his hotshot team-mate after Rooney had once again been the inspiration for United.

“I’m very happy because he’s changed his mentality,” said left-back Evra.

“Now he wants to score. He wants to be a killer and that is very important for us.”

Rooney is renowned for his scoring sprees, but he has never been on a run like this.

It is now 14 goals in 15 games, stretching back to November 28 when he hit a hat-trick against Portsmouth.

In fact, no team has suffered more at the feet and head of the 24-year-old.

Rooney has now struck 10 goals in 13 matches for United against Pompey and two in two for previous club Everton.

Pompey’s Algerian midfielder Hassan Yebda acknowledged how much stick Rooney his given his club while hoping his country doesn’t feel the force in this summer’s World Cup.

“When Rooney scored the first goal, it was finished,” he said.

“They’ve got so many great players – and they’ve got Rooney, one of the best in the world.

“Rooney loves Portsmouth because every time he scores against Portsmouth. He’s a good player and he deserved his goals against us.

“I hope he won’t be like that in the World Cup against us. I hope he doesn’t like Algeria!”

Skipper Richard Hughes could only appeal to Rooney to dish out the same punishment to Pompey’s fellow strugglers.

Hughes said: “He’s had that many successful seasons before, but I think this season he has gone on to another level.

“In previous seasons Ronaldo, Messi and Kaka have won the big individual awards, but I’m sure if Manchester United win the Premier League or Champions League – or both – he could do it. He’s certainly at that level now.

“A couple of years ago he had fantastic talent. Now he is a fantastic player and he has realised all that potential.

“We just hope he does it to other teams around us. He’s got a fantastic drive, energy and passion. He’s a very fair player, a great competitor.”

Rooney’s headed opener in the 40th minute opened the floodgates, with own-goals by Anthony Vanden Borre and Mark Wilson sandwiching strikes by Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov.

Rooney’s goal was his 23rd of the season, equalling his best total. But, said skipper Gary Neville, the significance of Rooney’s scoring rate lies not in the number but the timing.

“The important thing is that he scores the important goals – it’s not how many,” said Neville.

“We’re coming to a period with big games, like Milan, and it’s important for him to get goals at the right time, rather than quantity. That’s what we need over the next few weeks.”

Rooney is certainly in the mood to oblige. He said: “I’m probably playing the best I’ve done in my career.

“Hopefully I can push on from this for the rest of the season and it will put us in good stead.

“I haven’t really set any targets. I just try and score when I play. If I do, great, but if not, hopefully the team wins anyway.”

While United focus on a bigger challenge, at Villa on Wednesday, bottom club Pompey, now under their fourth ownership of a chaotic season, face a must-win home clash tomorrow against Sunderland.

Yebda said: “We have to train hard and be ready for Sunderland.

“I hope we can drag them into it. If we win this game, it will be very, very important for us.”

Beleaguered boss Avram Grant said: “Maybe it’s a bigger challenge because you’re not only dealing with football matters. This is a big challenge because we don’t just have to win games, we need to keep this club alive.

“I’m not a finance man, but I feel I owe something to this city because it gave me my first chance in England.

“When I came back to the club I had two choices: to say, ‘It’s not what they promised me and I’m going’ – and I don’t think one person could blame me for that – or do my best to keep this club up.

“The players give everything and the supporters are great, so how could I say to them that I’m leaving now?”

And Grant promised: “I will do everything to help keep this club alive.”

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