Darren Fletcher has called on players like Antonio Valencia to share Wayne Rooney's goal scoring burden.

Speaking from the Man Utd Hospitality Tickets area of Old Trafford, Fletcher was keen to play up Valencia's role.

"Obviously you need your big players or so-called star players to win you games but it's the team that wins you the league," Fletcher says. "Having been around this team last season I know that, with a little bit of luck, we could have won that league.

"If we can keep everyone fit we have got a fantastic squad and we have got players who can make a difference. We've got the experience of Giggs, Scholes, Neville and Van der Sar, we've got Wayne Rooney, Antonio Valencia and Nani who can create and score goals, Berbatov, and the rest of the players who know their role in the team, who are willing to work hard for the team and who are willing to sacrifice for the team. You need different components to make a team. It's not necessarily about your star players. We've got plenty of players with ability. People always speak about us losing Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo but Antonio Valencia has come in and had a fantastic season, Nani will step up to the plate and other players will improve. That's the way this club is."

Highly rated Villarreal prospect Montero has said that he wants to join Antonio Valencia at Manchester United. Montero, 20, is highly regarded in Spain and is expected to feature in the Villarreal first team next season after shining in their 'B' team ranks.

Valencia himself enjoyed a terrific debut campaign at Old Trafford and formed a potent supply line to Wayne Rooney.

Speaking to the News of the World, Montero hoped he could follow in Valencia's footsteps. "I hope to play in the same team with him [Valencia]," he said. "Me on one side and him on the other.

"It would be amazing. It is what most people ask me - they want Antonio Valencia on the right and me on the left for United. Antonio deserves everything he gets as he's done very well.

"He started from not very much - like me. I would love to follow in his footsteps and play for Manchester United, if that opportunity arises. Who knows what will happen in the future? For the moment, I am at Villarreal and have great respect for the team."

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Wayne Rooney may have enjoyed the best campaign of his own personal career, but he says the season will not be ‘complete’ unless Manchester United win the title.

Rooney said: “This has been my best season. I have scored a lot of goals and my overall play has been good.

Rooney paid tribute to winger Antonio Valencia for providing the service for so many of his goals from the flanks this season.

“Without people like Antonio I wouldn’t be scoring goals.

“A lot of what I have achieved personally this season has been down to my teammates. Antonio is very physical. He has scored a few goals and he has the ability to create goals with his movement and his crossing, which obviously I have benefited from.

“Antonio reminds me a lot of Andrei Kanchelskis. They are both very traditional wingers and I like that. Antonio has settled in well and has had a good first year at the club, which hopefully he can build on.”

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Chelsea winger Yury Zhirkov has accused Antonio Valencia of underhand tactics during the Blues' 2-1 win over Manchester United on Saturday.

The Russian international's deployment as a full-back during the clash saw him lock horns with the United winger Antonio Valencia, who he believes got away with fouling him throughout the match.

"He's a strong player, without doubt, but all too often he plays with his hands," said the £18 million summer signing from CSKA Moscow.

"He constantly grabbed me, pushed me, particularly when taking the ball back towards goal. The referee, unfortunately, didn't always stop his antics."

Manchester United striking legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer thinks that winger Antonio Valencia has proved to be one of Sir Alex Ferguson's shrewder acquisitions this season.

The Norwegian envies the current United strikers who are handed the opportunity to play alongside the Ecuadorean, who joined from Wigan Athletic for £16 million in the summer. Solskjaer also feels that it is fair to compare Valencia's delivery from wide areas with that of David Beckham.

"Antonio is a striker's dream. He is also a manager's dream," Solskjaer told The Manchester Evening News. "He works hard and he does his bit defensively. He doesn't just do the flash bits. He keeps the team shape when he doesn't have the ball and attempts to win it back.

"He has something special because he has pace and he has a delivery. I can understand the comparisons between Becks' service and what Antonio is providing now. The work ethic of both players is the same. Their first thought is to put in a dangerous effort for the strikers to feed off.

"Just like with David, you know when Antonio is going to cross the ball. He doesn't dilly-dally, as soon as he can, he is going to cross it. He puts his head down and you know it is going to come in. It is just what you want. You can get that half-second ahead of a defender because you can make your move early knowing virtually where the ball is going to end up. It gives you a great advantage.

SIR Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United are in perfect shape to pile further agony on crisis-hit Liverpool on Sunday.

Fergie was delighted as United virtually ensured their place in the knock-out stages with three games to spare in Moscow last night.

Antonio Valencia scored for the second successive game, while ­Brazilian youngster Fabio Da Silva had an outstanding European debut. United also kept their first clean sheet in four games on the artificial pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium to equal Ajax’s record of 14 unbeaten away games in the Champions League.

Ferguson says new boy Valencia has listened to his demands to improve his scoring record and is beginning to justify his £17m fee.

He added: “We’re pleased he has got an important goal for us. Valencia has been a plus point for the last few weeks.

“He is emerging very well, settling into the club, and his confidence is getting stronger.

“He has tremendous assets for a wide player but the assets he didn’t show at Wigan were his goals, where he would maybe get three or four a season.

Manchester United management were delighted with the performance of Antonio Valencia in victory over Bolton Wanderers.

The Ecuador international turned in his best performance since his move from Wigan and United No2 Mike Phelan said: “He’s not been brought here to replace Ronaldo, he’s been brought here because he’s Antonio Valencia and he can play at this level.

"I think he’s showing the signs now that he’s blending in nicely, his delivery is good, he’s attacking opponents, he’s been positive and that’s what we see in him and that’s what he can deliver for us.”

When Antonio Valencia stepped on the Old Trafford pitch for the first time since his £16 million move across Lancashire from Wigan Athletic the spotlight shone firmly on the Ecuadorian. Not without good reason, as Cristiano Ronaldo’s heir-apparent, the mild-mannered 23-year-old held the weight of expectations on his shoulders.

The hopes and fears of United supporters, 13 games into Valencia’s Old Trafford career, now closer to being realised.

Valencia’s match-winning performance in Manchester United’s 1-0 victory in Moscow Wednesday night marked another progressive step in the Lago Agrio-born winger’s career. Hugging the touchline, with the confidence to pose a constant threat, the wide man scored for the second time in as many games for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

Valencia’s display against Moscow was a strong follow-up to a positive run-out for United in the Premier League Saturday last. Valencia’s old-fashioned display, scoring United’s second – ultimately winning – goal against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford, may have been a turning point in the former Villarreal player’s career in Manchester.

But it was an uncertain start for the former Wigan player, with Valencia starting as many games on the bench as he did in the team during United’s first 10 games this season. Indeed, the Ecuadorian’s performance against Arsenal so lacked in conviction that Ferguson hauled the winger off and supporters were right to hold doubts about Valencia’s ability compensate adequately for the loss of Ronaldo.

Indifferent performances at the start of an Old Trafford career are hardly a problem unique to Valencia. The question for many players is whether they are able to overcome the increased weight of expectation that comes with playing for the world’s best-supported club.

Stage-fright says Nemanja Vidic, a man whom endured an equally shaky start to his United career after an £7.8 million move from CSKA Moscow in January 2007.

“At the beginning of the season, Antonio had some difficulties because he was bought to replace Cristiano Ronaldo,” said Vidic.

“The media paid special attention and were watching his every move, and the pressure paralysed him a little. He is a real artist, gradually gaining confidence and playing better and better with each match. Scoring will help him even more.”

Valencia’s record at Wigan and on the international stage – he has 40 caps for his native Ecuador – suggests a man big on talent but little in end-product in front of goal. The winger scored just seven in 89 appearances for Wigan and only a marginally more impressive return for the national team.

But if lack of goals is a concern then perhaps supporters are concentrating on the wrong aspects of Valencia’s game, says club captain Gary Neville. Where Ronaldo came to dominate both United’s goalscoring and tactical deployment, Valencia offers an altogether different proposition. A throwback to a day when wingers, were wingers, Neville argues.

“Antonio Valencia caused them [Moscow] problems after the break. He is strong and quick and an old fashioned winger who puts crosses in and is a constant threat to defenders,” said Neville after the victory over CSKA in Moscow.