Price Boost: Rooney 5/1 from 4/1 to open scoring tonight

Ladbrokes have boosted the price of Wayne Rooney scoring first from 4/1 to 5/1 ahead of Man Utd’s crunch clash with Olympiakos in the Champions League.

With Europe’s premier club competition the only possible silverware left available to beleaguered boss David Moyes the performance of the 28-year-old will be crucial to their chances of overturning a 2-0 first leg deficit.

The England Nos.10 has been seen as one of the few positives in a car crash season for the reigning Premier League champions, contributing 15 goals in 38 appearances for club and country this term.

Although only four of his tally have opened proceedings there is no shortage of reasons to think Rooney will have enough opportunities to break the deadlock.

–     In four matches against Greek sides at Old Trafford over the years, United have only ever won with a handsome 15 goals scored in the process.

–     United have won 13 of their last 15 Champions League knockout games.

–     It has been nine years since the Red Devils failed to find the back of the net at this stage in the competition.

–    Olympiakos’ record against other English teams is equally woeful, failing in all seven of their attempts and conceding at least two goals each time.

–    Olympiakos haven’t reached the quarter-finals of the competition since 1999

With a new contract signed no-one in the team will want to give the fans some compensation for the campaign so far more than Rooney and putting them on course to reach the last-eight is clearly within his compass.

Potential investors should not get put off by last week’s humbling at home to arch rivals Liverpool either, instead consoling themselves with the adage that ‘it can’t get any worse’.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.