Man Utd boss Ferguson: AC Milan could not handle devastating Rooney

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hailed two-goal hero Wayne Rooney after victory at AC Milan.

Rooney's double after half-time in Tuesday evening's 3-2 Champions League victory over AC Milan at the San Siro were his first European goals of the campaign.

It took Rooney's tally for the season to 25 and more importantly allowed United to take a potentially vital advantage from the first leg of the last-16 clash.

After years of playing second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney is now emerging as the talent it was always felt he would become when he burst on to the scene as a raw teenager at Everton.

And, as Ferguson pointed out, it was too much for Milan's ageing defence.

"His second-half performance tonight carried on the form Wayne has been showing recently," said Ferguson. "He is in absolutely devastating form. They could not handle him. They just could not handle him in the second half. I thought he was marvellous."

Ferguson has noted a marked improvement in the 24-year-old since before Christmas.

At one point it was felt there was a significant gap between the Merseysider and superstars such as Ronaldo, Kaka and Lionel Messi.

However, if there is still a gap at all it is now very small.

"There has been an improvement in his game over the last two months," said Ferguson. "Confidence has a lot to do with that but it's also his ability as a player.

"As I've said about him on a number of occasions what he has to do is improve his goal scoring. That is what he is doing now.

"When you look at the way he is performing at the moment he must be regarded amongst those players at the highest level."