Man Utd's Owen lays challenge to Rooney

Michael Owen has warned Wayne Rooney to stay fit and focused if he wants to continue to break goal-scoring records at United.

Owen used his own example when he told MUTV, “I know it can quickly change though. I was looking at the England goal-scoring record and I was nine off Sir Bobby [Charlton] and only in my mid-to-late twenties.

I was thinking it was a formality when, all of a sudden, Fabio Capello came in and didn't pick me once and it looks a mile off now and is virtually impossible."

Rooney has overtaken George Best and Dennis Viollet to leap into fourth place in the all-time list at Old Trafford.

"You can only imagine records are going to tumble, the longer he plays," Owen said.

"The longer he stays at the top of his game at a club like this, and on the international stage and the rest of it, he's going to break records.

Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 249 goals is still some 60 away for Rooney.

"It's certainly manageable if he keeps in great shape and great form," said Owen.

"If he plays here another half-a-dozen more years, he's obviously going to go past it and set a real tough target for anyone coming through to beat."

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