English Premier League: Rooney on verge of legendary status, says Moyes

United manager praises striker’s efforts in leading team this season

MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager David Moyes has suffered a stuttering start to life at Old Trafford, but it could have been far worse for the Scot if he had failed to retain the services of striker Wayne Rooney.

The England forward was again the central figure as United brushed aside West Ham United 3-1 at home on Saturday, dropping deep to act as the fulcrum for the side and bursting forward to provide two assists.

“Do you know what I see more than anything in Wayne?” said Moyes. “I see leadership.

“I see somebody who wants to take responsibility for the team. I see somebody who cares for how he plays and how the team plays.

“He is getting to an age now where he realises he is not a boy any more. He is one of the senior men in the team. He is actually on the verge of being one of the great legends at this club.”

Moyes believed Rooney had matured into a leader on the field who was able to inspire and demand more from the younger players in the squad as they bid to climb up from their unusual eighth position in the table.

Free-scoring City must be more boring: Milner

The entertaining, goal-scoring feats of title-chasing Manchester City has wowed fans and impressed rivals this season, but midfielder James Milner craves a less cavalier approach.

Even without injured top scorer Sergio Aguero, City delivered a glut of goals in a 4-2 away win over Fulham on Saturday. They have scored a league-best 51 goals from 17 league matches, 35 coming at home, and are on course to better the record of 103 scored by Chelsea en route to winning the title in the 2009-10 season.

However, midfielder Milner says he could do without the roller coaster ride.

“We’d like to have games that are a bit more boring if we can, maybe a 1-0 or 2-0,” he said. “When you are 2-0 up, you like to see out the job and we did that in the end. Hopefully we can get a few more clean sheets, which will be more important as the season goes on.”

Sherwood eager to pursue Spurs adventure

Tottenham Hotspur’s interim head coach Tim Sherwood hopes to be given the job on a permanent basis after a 3-2 victory at Southampton in his first Premier League game.

Sunday’s success at St Mary’s got Spurs back on track after they were thrashed 5-0 at home by Liverpool in Andre Villas-Boas’s last game and Sherwood now wants to discuss his future with chairman Daniel Levy.

“What would be ideal for me would be to have a chat with the chairman and see what’s best for the football club moving forward,” he said.

“There are some great candidates out there for this job. It’s a massive club with history and tradition. But whatever happens needs to be right for me, too.”