It’s been a mixed week for Manchester United fans, with their side moving above City in the race for top spot in the Premiership, and then the failure to progress to the next round of the Europa League.

One thing that has come out of the recent performances though, is the value of Wayne Rooney, now that he is firing on all cylinders. His influence in the team appears to be highlighted as we move into the final third of the the domestic campaign, and United’s reliance on his form could make or break their season.

The defeat against Bilbao on Thursday left Sir Alex Ferguson’s side with a clear run to the finish line, and only the Premier League title in sight at the end. Of course, no one would deny that United wanted to progress in the Europa League and mount a good challenge for extra silverware, but they now have a set fixture list that can be focused upon.

Without the additional necessity of squad rotation and fixture congestion, Sir Alex now has to rely on his key players to perform consistently until the end of the season. There are several names on the team sheet that can inspire and lead United, but at the moment it seems like Rooney needs to be the one to take up the mantle and continue his goalscoring run.

In the second leg against Bilbao, Ferguson went with Rooney as a lone striker. This didn’t appear to work, as United didn’t get the goals they needed and rarely threatened, however it does show the manager’s faith in Rooney. Whether or not he was leaving the likes of Welbeck and Hernandez on the bench with an ulterior motive (bearing in mind the league game on Sunday) we will probably never know, but it shows a lot of confidence in Wayne’s ability to handle the responsibility and take on that role.

The fact that he didn’t have much luck on the night isn’t necessarily down to his performance, but that his side weren’t able to gain control of the midfield and initiate attacks, thus leaving Rooney somewhat out of the game. Even so, he proved he can pull something out of the bag when United need it with a great strike late on, although this time not saving their bacon.

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