Rooney Prepared For FA Cup Fight

Wayne Rooney says last season's cup experiences will prepare Manchester United for a battle against Derby County at the iPro Stadium on Friday.

The Reds go into a tricky Emirates FA Cup tie on the back of a disappointing home defeat to Southampton in the Barclays Premier League and mindful of how difficult League One side Sheffield United made it for Louis van Gaal's team in the previous round.

Derby are chasing promotion from the Championship and will be higher quality opponents than Cambridge United and Yeovil Town, who tested United in the FA Cup last year. The Rams will still be underdogs, however, and Rooney expects the home fans to generate the atmosphere of a lower-division outfit striving to claim a prize scalp.

"We know, as we've played there before, that it will be a difficult game with a good atmosphere on Friday night," the skipper told MUTV, briefly recalling the Reds' FA Cup fifth-round win at Derby in 2009.

"I'm sure they will be really up for it with their crowd and we will be up for it as we've experienced these games. The players who joined us last year and played against Cambridge and Yeovil will have seen that an FA Cup tie like this is more of a battle than a football game. We have to be ready for that and be ready for a tough game as the cup is full of surprises.

"Derby have nothing to lose. No-one is expecting them to win and they will try to cause an upset. We know that and have to be ready for that. It will be a difficult night for us, Sheffield United at home was a tough game, so we have to be ready to battle and win the battle. Hopefully then our qualities will show through."