#3 vs. West Ham United, 22nd March 2014
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Anything David Beckham could do, apparently Rooney could do just as well. And this one came in the twilight of his United career too, silencing some of the naysayers who suggested he should’ve been finished at Old Trafford at this point. It was probably the high point of Rooney’s United career under the much-maligned David Moyes, who was fired just months later.
Just eight minutes into the game, a wild clearance from one of United’s defenders fell to Rooney just inside his own half. From there he outmuscled James Tomkins, stepped in line with the centre-circle and fired a half-volley into the air, towards the West Ham goal, where their keeper Adrian was well off his line. All he could do was watch in awe and then collapse to the ground as the ball flew directly into the net.
Part of what made this one so great was the sheer timing – it wasn’t like Rooney came into West Ham’s half with the ball – he actually had to spin after an aerial challenge, look up to see the keeper stranded and still hit a perfectly-aimed half-volley. It was simply an amazing goal whichever way you look at it.
Even sweeter? Beckham himself – scorer of an equally legendary goal from the halfway line back in 1997 – was in attendance with his sons Brooklyn and Romeo, and could only offer an appreciative chuckle at Rooney’s emulation of such a tremendous goal.
