Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs has insisted that Wayne Rooney is happy to play in a deeper position for the benefit of the team.

Rooney has largely played in behind Robin van Persie so far this season in order to accommodate the Dutch hitman.

The duo combined to deadly effect in last weekend's Manchester derby, scoring three goals between them in a dramatic victory at the Etihad.

Giggs believes that Rooney can become the focal point for United's attacking impetus and help create goals as well as score them.

He told The Sun: "Wayne is the kind of player who can score goals but if someone is scoring more, he's not too bothered.

"He's quite happy setting goals up and pitching in with important goals like he did on Sunday. It's like when Cristiano Ronaldo was here. He scored a lot of goals but, like Wayne, he's not just an out-and-out goalscorer. He's more than that.

"Wayne is the catalyst to everything good that we do. He can score goals and make goals."

The 29-year-old has seven goals for United this season, including four in his last two Premier League games.