London, Oct. 29 : Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson has said that star striker Wayne Rooney will never lose his ‘traitor’ tag at Everton FC’s Goodison Park.

Ferguson was speaking as United aims to bounce back in their first Premier League game since their humiliating 6-1 defeat against Manchester City at Old Trafford last Sunday.

Ferguson knows that could be in for a rough ride at Everton for quitting the club in 2004 to join Manchester United.

In recent seasons, the 26 year-old, a 30 million pound buy from Everton in August 2004, has attempted to ease tensions between himself and the team he supported as a boy by publicly ending a feud with manager David Moyes and talking regularly of his ongoing passion for the club.

But despite Rooney’s efforts at bridge building, Ferguson admits that United expect the England forward to bear the brunt of terrace hostility once again this lunchtime.

The Telegraph quoted Ferguson, a saying: “Rooney has had mixed success going to Everton. He’s scored a couple of goals there in previous games, but he gets booed as normal. But you know what fans are like. He’s a traitor as far as they’re concerned and he’s never going to change that. He’s well used to that, it’s not a problem. I don’t think people thrive on abuse, but you can cope with it.”

Rooney has scored just two goals in 11 appearances against Everton for United and Ferguson concedes that the atmosphere at Goodison provides a test for his temperament. (ANI)