Rooney, who started the season with a terrific scoring run, has not hit a Premier League goal since mid-September.

United's scoring record has suffered too - they have not scored more than a single goal in the league since October 1 - but Ferguson insists he is happy with the form of both the team and Rooney.

"He had a great start, I think he is on 11 goals at the moment but he will score goals, there's no question about that," said Ferguson, adding that part of the reason is that Rooney has played in midfield for some of the time.

"Our form last Saturday was excellent, we played as well as we have played all season.

"We needed that little bit of luck around about the goalmouth - that would have made it a good result as Newcastle have been playing really well.

"We made so many chances we really should have won the game comfortably so I have no problems with that."

Tomorrow sees Ashley Young's first return to Villa Park since his move in the summer. Young was a regular taker of free-kicks at goal for Villa but Ferguson says the 26-year-old has to play second fiddle to Rooney and Ryan Giggs at the moment.

Ferguson added: "From wider positions he's very dangerous but we have never allowed him to take free-kicks from 25 yards out the way Becks [David Beckham] did.

"Wazza [Rooney] or Ryan really dominate the free-kicks in those areas so he has not been given that opportunity although at Villa he did do that.

"He's got to knock Wazza and the old man out of the road before he starts taking them!"

Ferguson said he had been impressed by how quickly Young had settled in.

He added: "He had a fantastic season last year at Villa, you could see the maturity coming into his game and that's the thing that attracted me most of all.

"At 25 years of age when we decided to go for him he had maturity and could play in a variety of positions, wide on either side or behind the front players.

"In that respect we got quite an all-round footballer, a terrific crosser of the ball and his goal participation, his goal attempts has been quite good.

"He had a hat-trick of chances against Newcastle, hit the post, one blocked near the line, one just past the post that's not a bad contribution for a wide player."