Former Manchester United striker Gary Birtles believes Wayne Rooney can become England's all-time leading goal scorer.

Birtles believes it is Rooney's ability to score a variety of goals - just like Sir Bobby Charlton - that has put him in sight of the 1966 World Cup winning legend.

"With his age and ability, he is the one player who can break the record," he told the Manchester Evening News. "Michael Owen should have broken it, but that wasn't his fault - that was the previous manager's.

"Alan Shearer was a striker who thrived on service in and around the box - but Wayne Rooney has got every goal in the book.

"He's got everything from the extravagant to the tap-in. Maybe the others didn't have that, which is why Bobby Charlton's record has stood for so long.

"He was the same. He scored from long range, free kicks, headers. He had every goal going as well."