Lukaku set Rooney target by Mourinho

MANCHESTER: Jose Mourinho has suggested that Romelu Lukaku will struggle to match Wayne Rooney’s Manchester United achievements, because the Premier League has become a much more demanding competition.

Lukaku has made an impressive start to his United career since arriving from Everton for £75million in July, a day after Rooney made the move in the opposite direction.

The 24-year-old has scored six times in his first six appearances for United, in addition to scoring the goal against Greece in early September that secured Belgium’s place at next year’s World Cup finals.

He faces a major challenge, though, to match Rooney, who left Everton for United and became their all-time record scorer, with 253 goals during his 13 years at Old Trafford, winning the Champions League once and the Premier League five times.  —