Man United midfielder Darren Fletcher insists team-mate Wayne Rooney will be as good as ever.
Midfielder backs team-mate to find form
Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher insists team-mate Wayne Rooney will be as good as ever when they kick off their Premier League campaign.
The Red Devils take on Newcastle at Old Trafford on Monday night as they look for a winning start to the season against the Magpies.
Rooney, 24, was the club's top scorer last term with 26 strikes to his name in the top-flight but the star striker had a miserable summer in South Africa.
England crashed out in the second round of the World Cup after a dismal display against Germany and Rooney cut a forlorn figure throughout the tournament.
However, Fletcher believes he will be firing on all cylinders for United and says he will start where he left off last season.
"When we kick off, Wayne will be the fantastic player we have come to know down the past few years," said Fletcher in the
Daily Star.
"He is a tremendous player and a real talisman for the team. And I think playing for Manchester United definitely brings out the best in him.
"We all know Wayne's game and he knows ours. We have played together and trained together for a long time now, for five or six years.
"Wayne's form last season was fantastic and we obviously hope it will continue this season, which I'm sure it will, because he is simply a top-class player."
Fletcher believes Rooney's determined character will see him forget about his World Cup performance and hit the ground running.
He added: "Last season, Wayne really took on the responsibility of being the main goalscorer, with the departure of certain players.
"The manager set him the challenge and he really took it on.
"He is such a determined character and I'm sure we will see the type of performances we have always seen from him at Old Trafford in a United shirt."
