Wayne Rooney believes that winning the FIFA world club championship in Japan on December 21 would allow the current Manchester United squad to take a further step towards going down as one of the best in history.

Rooney and his United peers already have successive Premier League titles and last season's Champions League triumph behind them, and the England striker said: "I hope we can be regarded as one of the best ever. There is definitely a lot of quality here.

"Over the last couple of seasons we have played some tremendous football and the squad itself is quite young.

If we can keep winning trophies over the next few years I see no reason why we can't be up there."

The FIFA tournament is in Yokohama and Rooney has one definite target. "The aim is to come back as winners and for United fans to say we are the best team in the world'," he said. "It would be nice for our supporters to be able to give the City fans a bit of stick."

United face City at Eastlands on Sunday and Rooney's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, said yesterday that despite their new-found status as the richest club in the world he does not view their city rivals as a major threat.

"There may be a different focus with Mark Hughes having money available, but that doesn't change our side of it or how we approach the match," Ferguson said. "And what level are they at at the moment? At this moment, it is still Chelsea and Liverpool sitting above us."