Wayne Rooney takes the crown for scoring the best goal ever seen in a Manchester derby when he scored an overhead kick against Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Manchester United face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, and head coach Ruben Amorim won’t care how the ball hits the back of the net as long as his players are scoring at the Etihad Stadium.
But back in 2011, fans were treated to one of the best goals in Premier League history when Wayne Rooney scored an acrobatic overhead kick to give the Red Devils a 2-1 win.
Rooney’s effort was awarded the Premier League Goal of the 20 Seasons award in the 20th anniversary in 2012. It will go down in history as one of the best goals ever scored, but Rooney himself can’t help but criticise his performance in the match.
Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring for Manchester United in the Manchester derby.
Photo by Tom Purslow/Manchester United via Getty Images
Wayne Rooney looks back on iconic derby overhead kick
Rooney is United’s top scorer in the derby having netted 11 times against City. But none of his goals are more iconic or more impressive than his overhead kick at Old Trafford.
However, when Rooney was asked about the strike on The Wayne Rooney Show, he quickly pointed out that he remembers playing badly in the match.
“When you look back through the game, I was so bad in that game, it’s one of the worst games I’ve ever played, I couldn’t control the ball,” Rooney said.
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“Obviously, then the goal happens and I think it’s an iconic goal because it’s the derby and scored to win the game 2-1.
“You don’t practice overhead kicks. If one comes in training you do it and it might go 50 yards over, so there’s a lot of luck.
“My goal against Newcastle for instance, that is something you practice at the end of training.”
Wayne Rooney’s overhead kick was his ‘most important’ goal
United beat City in the derby and went on to win the Premier League title in 2010/11.
It was just one of Rooney’s five Premier League titles and also just one of the 253 goals he scored en route to becoming United’s all-time top goalscorer.
But as per Sky Sports, Rooney believes that is the “most important” goal he scored throughout his career.
“The deflection [from Nani’s cross] actually helped me, because it slowed the ball down and gave me time to adjust myself, turn my body,” Rooney said.
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“To be honest, I just thought I’ll go for it. I wasn’t having the best game, and thankfully it’s gone into the top corner.”
Asked if it was his most important goal, Rooney said: “I think so. We went on to win the league that year and it was a big game for us.”