Chelsea ace Didier Drogba has warned Wayne Rooney that he will score more goals than his Manchester United rival.

Drogba has found the net 22 times in all competitions so far this season, just one less than the Manchester United forward who is currently playing some of the best football of his career.

Drogba has a chance to add to his impressive tally on Saturday when Chelsea entertain Cardiff City in an FA Cup fifth round tie at Stamford Bridge.

With United not playing thanks to their shock Cup defeat to Leeds United, the Ivory Coast international could find himself ahead of the Red Devils favourite come Saturday evening - a position of supremacy Drogba is hell bent on being in come season end.

"I want to be the top scorer in England. I want to make sure people remember 'Drogba the Warrior' in this campaign," he told The Sun.

"My absence at the African Nations Cup could end up being decisive. It gave an advantage to Wayne and my other rivals. But I warn them I shall be fighting until the very last match."

"The race between myself and Rooney will be beautiful and it's my objective to arrive at the finishing post first. I don't think about the exact number of goals I shall need. But it will be necessary for me to pass 30 if I am to be the No 1 - and this is possible.

"Rooney is a big forward and playing at a really high level. But there are still many matches to go and I intend to soar above him in the goal stakes.

"It seems I'm always fighting against Manchester United players in this respect. Cristiano Ronaldo was not 10 per cent a striker but scored from a lot of free-kicks and penalties and they gave him many goals.

"Wayne is different to him but always scores and there is so much merit in his play.

"My own big target this year is to win the Treble - the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

"This is not easy to achieve but I am so ambitious and believe Chelsea can do it.

"We are well-placed in the championship race and, if we can manage our situation in the other competitions, we won't fail there either," he concluded.

Tottenham livewire Jermain Defoe is the third highest goalscorer with 20 goals, followed by Manchester City's Carlos Tevez on 18 and Darren Bent of Sunderland on 15.