Wayne Rooney still short of elite trio, says United's manager

Sir Alex Ferguson challenges the 23-year-old to match the world's top three players.

Five years to the week since Wayne RooneyManchester UnitedChampions League hat-trick against Fenerbahce, the England international will make his 50th European appearance tomorrow night, with Sir Alex Ferguson challenging him to show that he can reach the levels of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká and Lionel Messi. announced his arrival at with a

Rooney has scored seven in nine games for United this season and has noticeably taken on more responsibility since the departure of Ronaldo but Ferguson, though generous in his praise, believes his striker still comes up short. "Kaká, Ronaldo and Messi are the best three at the moment and I think Wayne can get to that level if he keeps making progress," he said. "That's the challenge for him now. There are some great players there."

There are some United supporters who would argue that Rooney already deserves to be considered at that level but Ferguson is mindful of the fact that the 23-year-old has sometimes drifted out of matches. "Wayne has had some fantastic games in Europe and, to be honest, some disappointing games," he added. "European football is a challenge. These are the best teams and every player has to reach that challenge in the sense of [creating] their stature in the game. It's not an easy competition."

By that, Ferguson was highlighting the fact that Ronaldo, Messi and Kaká have flourished in the Champions League whereas Rooney has been more erratic. In total, he has scored 16 European goals going into tomorrow's game at home to Wolfsburg, the German champions regarded by Ferguson as "probably the main danger to qualifying".

However, Ferguson also pointed out that Rooney is still not in his peak years. The United manager remembered Rooney's debut, in a 6-2 win, as a "remarkable feat", not least as the player had been injured and not played for 10 weeks. "His progress has at no point disappointed us," he said. "When we signed him as a kid we thought he would become a really top player and he is going in that direction, without question. He is blessed with certain ingredients that only great players have. He has that hunger and determination.

"Roy Keane, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce – we have had countless players with that great desire. These players want to win every match and every training session. Wayne is blessed with that and that will never change. He is blessed because these are wonderful things to take into a game these days. You sometimes wonder about the criticism about the money players get but then when you look at the amount of effort Wayne puts into his work then he is worth every penny. He plays as if he means it and it's a wonderful thing to have."

Rooney is benefiting from an extended run in the central attacking position but Ferguson believes there are other reasons behind the player's maturing performances, most notably his marriage in June 2008. "Marriage helps footballers," the manager said. "I have always thought that. I am an advocate of that [marriage] because it helps them settle down."

Having beaten Besiktas at the Inonu stadium in Istanbul 15 days ago, United go into tomorrow in a position of strength in Group B. Ferguson, however, is not sure if Michael Owen will be available, the striker having missed training for two days with a groin problem. He has been impressed by what he has seen of Wolfsburg. "The most amazing thing is that if you look at the history of German football over the last umpteen years then you will find that Wolfsburg haven't even figured. The fact they won it [the Bundesliga] last season and the goals they scored is amazing."

Wolfsburg have two outstanding strikers, the Bosnian Edin Dzeko and the Brazilian Grafite. Between them they managed 71 goals last season, including 54 in 34 league games, breaking the Bundesliga record set by Gerd Müller and Uli Hoeness for Bayern Munich 36 years ago. "It's an incredible total," Ferguson said. "So they do score goals, but they also lose them. Even their game at the weekend was 4–2 so they do have interesting matches. But they are positive and we admire that. Their beliefs are the same as ours and it could turn out to be a very open game."

United are likely to be without Park Ji-sung, who has been suffering from a virus, but Ferguson reported that Patrice Evra should be available despite feeling unwell since the win at Stoke City that put them top of the Premier League.

How the 'big four' compare in the Champions League

Wayne Rooney

Games 48 Goals 16

Made a thrilling Champions League debut aged 18, scoring a hat-trick in a 6-2 demolition of Fenerbahce. Five subsequent seasons have seen Rooney play in various positions across the front line. Failed to make much impression in his two finals in 2008 and 2009. When it comes to individual awards has yet to add to his BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award in 2002

Kaká Games 53 Goals 22

Fifa world player of the year in 2007 and a £68.5m transfer to Real Madrid from Milan in the summer. Kaká joined Milan in 2003 and dominated the first half of the the 2005 Champions League final as Milan went into a 3-0 lead before losing on penalties. Two years later Kaká finished as top scorer in the competition with 10 goals as Milan beat Liverpool in the final

Cristiano Ronaldo Games 56 Goals 18

A Champions League winner along with Rooney in 2008, scoring the first goal against Chelsea in the final, but missing his penalty in the shoot-out. Has a trophy cabinet groaning with personal gongs: including two football writers' player of the year awards, a brace of PFA player of the years, the Ballon d'Or for 2008 and the Fifa world player for 2008. Notably versatile, scoring in Europe from both wings and in the centre. One black mark: a petulant and ineffective display in last season's final against Barcelona

Lionel Messi Games 30 Goals 17

By a distance the player of last season's Champions League, right, top scorer with nine goals and a goal in the final against United. Already looks a shoo-in for this season's European and world player trophies. A year younger than Rooney and Ronaldo but already perhaps the most feared player in Europe Barney Ronay