By Simon Stone, PA Sport Chief Football Writer

After spending most of the season operating in Cristiano Ronaldo's shadows, Rooney made a spectacular return to the full glare of the spotlight in yesterday's FA Cup semi-final demolition of Watford.

With two goals, an assist, a lung-busting running shift and even a booking for a feisty challenge on Tommy Smith, it was vintage Rooney.

More of the same will be required over the next six weeks as Sir Alex Ferguson's men search for glory on three fronts.

But, rather than shy away from the weight of expectation and the burden of a packed fixture list, Rooney cannot wait to get stuck in.

"I have never experienced an end of season like this one before but I don't need a rest," explained the 21-year-old.

"I love to play. I feel fit and strong and a match every three or four days is fine by me. That is what you come to a big club for.

"We have not played as well as this during my time at United. Some of our attacking football has been brilliant and I am delighted to be a part of it."

Rooney's last trip to Wembley for an FA Cup final was as a nine-year-old to cheer his beloved Everton to victory over United in 1995.

For obvious reasons, he hopes he next visit on May 19 has an altogether happier outcome for the Red Devils, who will be hoping Christen the new stadium by completing a fourth domestic double.

By that time, Rooney should have obliterated his previous best scoring record.

Despite supposedly being out of form for much of the campaign, the England star has now struck an incredible 19 goals, a total which equals last season's tally and leaves him only two adrift of Ronaldo, whose goal Rooney created with stupendous determination yesterday.

"I always try to match or do better than my previous goal tally and to equal now with so many games left to go is very pleasing," he said. "Hopefully I can get more.

"I am doing quite well at the minute and long may that continue."

Rooney has been taking advice from veterans of the 1999 treble season like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who have urged the youngster to ensure he gets plenty of rest between games.

As Sir Alex Ferguson has pointed out, the key difference between this campaign and the one eight years ago is that previously, United were largely injury free, while at the present time players appear to be falling by the game.

Rio Ferdinand is the latest casualty, limping off with a groin problem just before half-time yesterday which, at a minimum, will see him miss Tuesday's Old Trafford encounter with Sheffield United.

With Gabriel Heinze in central defence, Darren Fletcher at right-back and only untested youth-team rookie Craig Cathcart on the bench, Ferguson's defensive resources have been stretched to breaking point.

Had Watford still been level when Ferdinand departed, they might well have scented a shock.

Unfortunately for the Hornets, Rooney had already made his mark, following up his seventh-minute piledriver by single-handedly setting up Ronaldo's tap-in after Hameur Bouazza had equalised.

Watford's fighting spirit wilted once Rooney steered home Alan Smith's low cross, so Kieran Richardson's late fourth was largely academic as Ferguson retained his 100% FA Cup semi-final record and United booked an eighth final under the Scot's command.

"People were writing us off not that long ago but we knew we had a lot of young players coming through and the situation would change," said Rooney.

"Now we have made a bit of history by reaching the first FA Cup final at Wembley and hopefully we can go on and win it.

"We lost to Arsenal in 2005, which was very hard to take given the way we dominated the game. We are determined to put that right this year."