Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League Preview
And he has vowed to give United fans the bragging rights after four consecutive defeats to City.
Rooney, the record scorer in Manchester derbies with 11 goals, said: "I think it's a very important game for Manchester United and Manchester City... for the fans and, for me, it's a massive game of pride.
"When you play for Man United, you want to win these derby games. We want to give United fans something to smile about when they go to work on Monday morning, we want them to be the ones to be able to give out the banter to Manchester City fans at work."
Reuters
Wayne Rooney celebrates his goal against Aston Villa
The teams go into the Old Trafford showdown in contrasting form.
Third-placed United have strung together five successive Premier League wins to move above City in the table for the first time in nearly two years.
Fourth-placed City meanwhile were top on New Year's Day but have won only six of their 16 games in all competitions to fall nine points behind leaders Chelsea, crash out of the FA Cup and Champions League and raise doubts about manager Manuel Pellegrini's future.
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