Secret Revealed: Wayne Rooney's secret to scoring 22 goals to date

Wayne Rooney's lucky gloves brought him an early goal but couldn't save him from injury in a balmy Bavaria last night.

The England striker, who struck after only 64 seconds, began protecting his fingers from the cold 20 games ago - during United's 3-0 win at home to Wolves on December 15. Since then the 24 years old has kept his mitts under wraps and then scored 22 goals.

A real glove affair.

United's line up for that match was their oldest in Champions League history with an average age of 30 years and 10 days. Paul Scholes played in his 637 th match for United last night. He was all over the pitch during the first half. It was Scholes's poor midfield collegues Nani, Ji-Sung Park and Carrick who received the hook in the second half, not the veteran!

Below are some of the pictures taken during Rooney 22 goals Glove Affair..

Hope that Rooney will be fit to bring Manchester United the title...

Secret Revealed : Why Park Ji Sung have the best stamina?

Park Ji Sung is the boy who drank stinking boiled frog juice to become a man.

The idol of South Korea was considered too weak ever to make it in the game he loved.But his parents had other ideas.

Which is why dad went to the frog farms, mother boiled up the juice and son winced as he drank it, having been told the nutrients would help him grow.

Park revealed: "They said it was good for my health to become stronger and I ate anything that would improve my health."

His father even took a job in a butcher's shop so he could get the best cuts of meat to build up his boy - second course the frog juice.

Park's performances for club and country are certainly no croak as he lives up to his nickname back home of 'Three-lung Park'. His tireless effort for the cause makes him stand out.

Patrice Evra said: "I have never seen a player as intelligent. I tell him he needs to bring out a video because his movement is such a good example for young players. Park shows it's about the team, not individuals."

Park has battled against the odds to become South Korea's captain and most celebrated player. To think he was rejected by college teams in his youth before playing for Myongi University.

He had to go to Japan's second division to get a chance professionally with Kyoto Purple Sanga.

It is amazing to think Park's dad initially stopped him from playing, thinking he was too weak. Park refused to eat unless he was allowed to play.

His father, Seong-Jong, said: "If I let you play, will you try hard and not quit?" Park replied: "I am never going to quit."

Park describes Hiddink as the greatest influence on his career.

What is not widely known, though, is that the two men briefly fell out when Park eschewed a switch to Chelsea that Hiddink was in the process of arranging, in order to follow his heart to Old Trafford in 2005.

'When I made my mind up for Manchester I felt that I had betrayed Hiddink,' reflected Park. 'I knew that Hiddink wanted me to stay (and then go to Chelsea later), so I found it difficult.'

Predictably, many Premier League observers presumed Park - about whom they knew little - was being brought to Old Trafford as a clothes horse, to shift United shirts and merchandise in Korea.

Certainly, he has helped. Of all United's Asian partners, those in Korea are most valuable. The hysteria when United visit Seoul on pre-season tours outweighs any experienced in China, Malaysia or Thailand, for example.

Wayne Rooney vs Lionel Messi. Who is better?

Ten. The number for perfection. Synonymous with the shirts of football heroes Pele, Maradona and Platini.

Today it is Rooney and Messi. One is the rampaging bull, the darling of Nike; the other, known as 'the flea', pin-up of adidas.

In the Latin and European worlds they symbolise the dreams of millions. Boys from the streets and ghetto who have made it good and are getting better and better. The question on everyone's lips, though, is who really is the best?

Lionel Messi's imperious performance against Stuttgart on Wednesday steered Barcelona through to the Champions League quarterfinals. The Argentina forward has 31 goals in all competitions and strike partner Thierry Henry says his form is 'ridiculous'.

'It is kind of ridiculous what he's doing. He's amazing,' said Henry. Stuttgart's former Tottenham coach Christian Gross was even more effusive. 'There is no doubt Messi is the best player in the world,' said Gross. 'His ability is incredible when you consider his age. It's fair to compare him to Maradona.'

Maradona graced the Nou Camp too and if Messi sits comfortably alongside his fellow Argentinian, Wayne Rooney's galloping hooves must be within earshot.

Rooney has 32 goals in 43 games this season in all competitions. He has added a ruthless side to his game and is the undeniable driving force behind United's push for Premier League and European glory. His performances against AC Milan, Graeme Souness believes, underlined his world standing.

Former Liverpool captain Souness said: 'Rooney is somewhere between Kenny Dalglish and a barnstorming centre forward. He has ridiculous enthusiasm, a neversay-die attitude, physical strength and bravery. What Rooney did to Nesta and Silva in the San Siro was magnificent.

'They tried to pick him off but they couldn't and in the end they were looking to the dug-out for answers. They couldn't live with him.

'We are still talking about potential here. Messi is 22 and Rooney is 24 and to be considered a great longevity has to apply. You need to spread it over a 10-year career. The two of them have the opportunity to underline how far they've come this summer at the World Cup.

'What I love about both is their appetite for the game. They are not driven by money. If Chelsea or Manchester City offered ridiculous wages to Messi I don't think he'd go because it is all about playing and there is no bigger stage than Barcelona at the moment. The same applies to Rooney. I could see him staying for life and becoming Manchester United's greatest ever player.

Gerard Pique is well qualified to judge, having played alongside both. He grew up with Messi in Barcelona's academy before moving to Manchester United and has since made a fine return to Spain.

They both have great qualities but I have to say Messi is the best,' said Pique. 'When he arrived here he had talent but was very small, yet he has gained so much since. You try to knock him down but he just gets up. He is incredible.

Wayne is world class but can hurt you in other ways. He is the most powerful player I have seen and now he has added the goals he is more dangerous. He is a genius and his mentality is very strong. It sets him apart.'

Wayne Rooney, a better header than Peter Crouch!!

The amount of footballers who can't head a ball never ceases to amaze us.

If we went through Thierry Henry's goals during his record-breaking spell for Arsenal, you will probably find only two or three headers. That is staggering. Think how many more he could have scored if he had that string to his bow.

If you're a striker and you can't head, you're denying yourself 10 or 15 goals a season - as Wayne Rooney is now finding out.

Wayne has improved dramatically.He had started doing a little bit extra in training to improve his technique - and you can see he is reaping the dividends.

Now he's playing up top and not in that withdrawn role on the left, he is in the box far more often and he is giving himself far more of an opportunity to score with headers.

Look at the brilliant header he scored against AC Milan a fortnight ago. He could not have scored that a year ago. It's from practising over and over again. We can imagine Wayne has been having someone feed him ball after ball at training - all at different heights - in order to get better.

Learning to head is about all types of different headers - where you are standing and the pace of the ball makes all the difference.

When crosses come in from the right - like in the Carling Cup final - he looks comfortable but he is not as assured with balls from the left. The right is his strong side and, just as you do with a strong and a weak foot, you find it easier to head on one side rather than the other. It's all to do with the balance of the body.

Timing is probably the absolute key. You just need to be a fraction off with your jump and it all goes wrong, while some players seem to have almost finished their header before the ball has even arrived and the ball just brushes off them and drifts away harmlessly. Worse is when you see players shut their eyes and then they miss the ball totally.

Height doesn't really matter.Wayne is 5ft 10in. It's all about finding space. You don't have to be 6ft 7in like Peter Crouch. In fact, Wayne is a better header of the ball than Peter because often tall people don't work hard enough at their heading.

The supply he is getting from the right is brilliant, too. He and Antonio Valencia clearly enjoy playing together and have an understanding. With Valencia's supply, Wayne can score 10 or more goals a season with his head from now on.

Antonio Valencia- Another world class player in the making

When Wayne Rooney embarks on his award-collecting tour at the end of the season, the Footballer of the Year- elect will send more than a passing nod in the direction of Antonio Valencia.

Of his last five headed goals, the Ecuador winger has provided four of the crosses.

More than a few eyebrows were raised when Sir Alex Ferguson shelled out £18million of the Ronaldo cash to sign Valencia from Wigan. But the Manchester United manager's judgement once again appears to be shrewd.

Figures show the 24-year-old already boasts, in key areas, better statistics than Ronaldo and Beckham.

Valencia comes out on top of the three-man chart when it comes to passing accuracy, crossing accuracy and shot conversion rate.

He also creates chances more frequently than his stellar predecessors did at Old Trafford.

Beckham, England's most-capped outfield player created a chance once every 29.9 minutes while Valencia has manufactured an opening every 26.4 minutes.

Ronaldo averaged nearly 50 minutes for every chance created.

Even more impressive are the Valencia numbers when it comes to passing accuracy. He has an 83.9 per cent success rate compared to a figure of 76.6 per cent for Beckham and 82.1 per cent for Ronaldo.

Indeed, almost under the radar, Valencia is fourth in the Premier League's assist table.

And he is already looking like representing value for money despite many people believing Ferguson had paid too much in his determination to see off interest from old foes Real Madrid.

Typically, he was snapped up by a Spanish club, Villarreal, who loaned him to Recreativo Huelva, where he helped the club win promotion to La Liga.

But it was his eye-catching displays in World Cup 2006 that sealed his move to the Premier League. Valencia is proving to be a hybrid of Ronaldo and Beckham - more orthodox than the Portuguese and trickier and quicker than the Englishman.

His crossing - as Rooney will testify when he picks up the countless gongs coming his way - has been exemplary with an accuracy rating of 29.2 per cent.

That compares with a 28.1 per cent rating for Becks and a 20.1 per cent figure for Ronaldo.

There are signs - and statistics - that show Valencia could become as big a United hit as Beckham and Ronaldo. I can't wait to witness that! Glory Glory Man Utd!!!