Rooney says will be 'extremely difficult' for Man U to win Premier League this season

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has said that it would be 'extremely difficult' for his team to retain their Premier League title this season.

The defending champions, who face Fulham on Sunday, are seventh and 16 points behind current leaders Chelsea and has lost eight of their 24 league games this season in what is David Moyes's first campaign as manager since he succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson last summer.

According to the BBC, Rooney said that although realistically being in the top four has got to be United's aim, however, they are aware that it is going to be extremely difficult to win the title, although he defended Moyes, under whom he played under as a teenager at Everton.

Stating that Moyes is a fantastic manager, Rooney also said that the Scot has done everything that he can, but it is the players that have to do better and hopefully can do that this season.

Rooney, whose contract expires at the end of next season, admitted he had ambitions to surpass Sir Bobby Charlton's goalscoring record for club and country.

The England striker is 42 goals shy of surpassing Charlton's record total of 249 goals for United and also trails Charlton's record of 49 England goals by 11, the report added.