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WAYNE ROONEY believes Manchester United need "two or three years" to be able to compete with rivals Liverpool and City.

United have not won the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

 Wayne Rooney reckons Manchester United are still two or three years away from being able to compete with Liverpool and Manchester City
Wayne Rooney reckons Manchester United are still two or three years away from being able to compete with Liverpool and Manchester CityCredit: Getty - Contributor

And as their arch-rivals continue to dominate domestic football in England, the former Red Devils captain knows his old side have plenty more to get sorted.

Since Fergie left, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have so far tried and failed to challenge for the Premier League.

The silverware has dried up. One FA Cup, the League Cup and a Europa League in the last six-and-a-half years has left fans frustrated at the club, especially the board.

And Rooney knows the United faithful need to remain patient and stick by their team.

Ahead of the FA Cup clash between his new side Derby and United, he told The Telegraph: "It is going to take another two or three years, I believe. The important thing is for them to try and get into the Champions League this year.


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Rooney won 12 major honours during his 13 years at Old Trafford, including five Premier League titles.

His relationship with the fans and club at times fluctuated, with Rooney feeling as though he was singled out for unfair criticism from Ferguson.

But now the England and United record goalscorer - who is a player-coach at Derby - realises it was all to inspire him and his team-mates to perform better.

Rooney added: "I always remember as a kid, every half-time, arguing with him, constantly.

"I remember thinking, 'Why does he keep having a go at me? There's players far worse than I've been!' Then the older you get, the more you realise why he's doing it. He's obviously aiming at other players who can't take it.

"He would have a go at me for dribbling. I very rarely dribble… well, I dribbled a bit more then… but [with] Nani, it would just maybe trigger something in [his] head, thinking, 'Oh maybe I shouldn't dribble as much.'"
