Wayne Rooney was man of the match when Manchester United played Roma in October and in reward, or as he would see it, penance, he was interviewed by Uefa’s television channel. “I think it was a great game tonight and a draw was probably a fair result,” he said, apparently forgetting he had just knocked home a superb goal in a 1-0 victory. It was a rare wrong note from Rooney in Europe in recent times. Once there were doubts about him in the Champions League but for the past 12 months, for United, he has been what Americans call the “go-to guy”.

“This year United are playing more as a team; last year they depended more on Cristiano Ronaldo. I rate Rooney as one of the best and most dangerous strikers in the world,” said Roma’s Brazilian goalkeeper, Doni, after the draw was made. Rooney has Roma to thank for sparking his transformation. Everyone remembers his hat-trick on debut at Old Trafford versus Fenerbahce in 2004 but 31 months passed without Rooney scoring another Champions League goal and questions about whether he could “cut it” in Europe became a feature of Sir Alex Ferguson’s press conferences before and after ties.

Then Rooney went to the Stadio Olimpico last April and Ronaldo led a counter-attack, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer flighted a gorgeous cross to the far post and Rooney chested the ball inside Christian Panucci to manoeuvre himself clear on goal. Instinct had taken him to there but, now, facing Doni and waiting for the ball to bounce, there was thinking time, a coming-of-age instant, the moment of truth. Rooney’s action was unerring. A powerful volley sent the ball into the embrace of the net. Rooney hared away in search of teammates with whom to celebrate and, literally and metaphorically, never looked back.

In the return leg Rooney scored again and was the facilitator of the 7-1 victory at Old Trafford that will resonate through the build-up to a second successive United-Roma quarter-final. Rooney followed with two goals against AC Milan at Old Trafford and when United were then overwhelmed in the San Siro, was so valiant in contrast to cowed colleagues like Ronaldo he seemed to be fighting a lone fight. For the first two months of this season Rooney could not buy a goal but then Roma returned to Old Trafford and, sharp as a diamond cutter, he turned on a Nani flick 18 yards out to score past Doni again. Zero goals in 17 games in the Champions League became seven goals in eight. Europe, from being a bogey, had become therapy.

Rooney was always a good enough footballer to be important in Europe and the lifting of a mental block was significant in his makeover. He had suffered genuine doubts. A fellow player was shaving Rooney’s hair in the team hotel before a 2005 tie in Lisbon and was shocked when Rooney blurted, “I don’t know if I can do it”. What? “The Champions League,” Rooney said. “Don’t know what it is.”

These days Rooney brings the same ebullient surety to performances against continental opposition as when facing domestic opponents but there is another factor, United’s own growth as a European team. Doni has a point about how they used to play. For several seasons Ferguson has been using a lone striker in the Champions League to get an extra man in midfield and the system worked nicely when Ruud van Nistelrooy was the outlet but when Rooney arrived he found himself shunted to the flank as a wide support for the Dutchman, later Louis Saha and then, briefly, Henrik Larsson.

For last season’s quarter-final with Roma, Rooney moved into the middle and has been there ever since, prospering where he can be more focal to the counter-attacks that are so important in Europe. To the television viewer Rooney can sometimes appear isolated in his central position, but the cameras can fail to convey the physical pressure he exerts on defenders and his movement when the opposition are in possession or the ball is being brought forward and he is off screen.

On European nights, Ferguson likes to get Rooney swapping positions with Ronaldo and the Portuguese has also been emergent. He had never scored at all in the Champions League before his two goals in the 7-1 romp. On that evening, it was the pace and invention of United’s breakaways that bewildered Roma, who conceded five goals in counter-attacks. When Luciano Spalletti brought his team back to Old Trafford in this season’s group stages, damage limitation appeared his priority and, though Roma had threatening moments, a 1-0 defeat appeared satisfactory.

United are entitled to believe they still have a psychological hold over their foe because they were able to field a starting lineup including Danny Simpson, Gerard Pique, Chris Eagles and Jonny Evans and still draw 1-1 with Roma at full strength. Carlos Queiroz, Ferguson’s assistant, warned that Roma seemed much improved when he watched them beat Real Madrid 2-1 in each leg to reach the last eight. Their form is excellent – Roma went into last night’s Serie A game with AC Milan seeking a record-breaking eighth successive league home win without conceding a goal. Recruiting Juan, Cicinho and Ludovic Giuly increased their range of quality footballers but Francesco Totti remains their pivot and of key significance may be Simone Perrotta, the closest Italy has to a Steven Gerrard. In the first leg of last year’s quarter-final Roma were well worth a 2-1 win and caused United an evening of tremors, with Perrotta prominent. His absence through injury was significant in the 7-1 second leg.

United’s progress past Lyons was unspectacular in its straight-forwardness, and that in itself was an indication of strength. Lyons are not a side many stroll past. “We’re better equipped in the Champions League because of the strength of the squad and we should be better because of the greater experience gained by the younger players like Rooney, Ronaldo and Anderson,” said Ferguson. “You expect a bit more improvement in terms of maturity and if that can make a difference then it will be a big difference because we weren’t far away last season.” Not far away from winning it, he meant. They were already good enough to be miles apart from Roma.