Wayne Rooney: Top 10 All-time goals for Manchester United and England
By Roy Emanuel
Arsenal – October 2002
“Remember the name. Wayne Rooney.”
At only 16 years of age, Rooney’s curling strike for Everton was the match-winner against Arsenal in 2002 and made him the youngest player to score a Premier League goal.
The result ended the Gunners’ 30-match unbeaten league run and introduced a new football star to the masses.
Taking control of the ball and moving towards goal, Rooney finds himself given a generous amount of space by the Arsenal defence. And he makes them pay for it.
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A powerful effort from his right foot sails and curves past goalkeeper David Seaman, and nothing has ever quite been the same for Rooney since. Everton manager David Moyes certainly was pleased with his substitution choices that particular day.
Supporters at Goodison Park knew what they had. Rooney had created a strong buzz, scoring goals for the Toffees in cup matches prior to the encounter against Arsenal.
But his electric strike was a seminal moment for the development and skill of young Wayne Rooney, and put him on the map.