Wayne Rooney conquers Summit 200
Wayne Rooney wheeled away in delight after scoring his 200th goal in the English Premier League, cupping both of his ears with his hands in front of the Manchester City fans who jeered his name and his every touch.
The Everton striker had just joined an exclusive scoring club and, as a former Manchester United player, he was determined to enjoy the moment at Etihad Stadium. He didn’t have the last laugh, though.
Substitute Raheem Sterling smashed home an 82nd-minute volley as City fought back for a 1-1 draw at Etihad Stadium after playing with 10 men for more than a half of a chaotic game on Monday.
The late equaliser slightly soured another landmark occasion for Rooney, the record scorer for England and United - and now only the second player to reach a double-century of Premier League goals after Alan Shearer. “It was a sweet moment,” he said, before adding with a smile: “I am sure the red half of Manchester will have enjoyed it as well.”
The 31-year-old Rooney is enjoying something of a career renaissance since leaving United in the off-season to return to his boyhood club. It’s now two goals in two league games for a player whose international career might not yet be over.
“It is not bad for someone who is not fit anymore and can’t get about the pitch,” Rooney said, taunting his critics. “I have always put a shift in for the team and tonight is no different.”
On his chances of a recall by England ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers, Rooney said: “I am focusing on Everton. I am sure I will speak to England manager Gareth Southgate over the next few days and we will see what happens.”
Rooney scored Everton’s goal against the run of play in the 35th minute, meeting Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s cross with a firsttime shot that struck City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes’ heel and deflected into the net.
City was already getting frustrated by its failure to pierce a deep-lying and compact Everton defence, and its chances of victory further receded in the 44th when right back Kyle Walker was sent off for a second yellow card in the space of two minutes. The second booking looked harsh, with Walker barely brushing Mason Holgate’s midriff with his elbow as he backed into the Everton full back. Sterling gave City energy after coming on as a half-time substitute. And after smashing a glaring opportunity over the bar from close range, he made amends by meeting Holgate’s poor headed clearance with a sweetly struck left-footed volley from just inside the area.
Everton also finished the game with 10 men when holding midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin was red-carded in the 88th for his second booking.
The draw left both teams on four points from two matches.
ELITE CLUB Everton striker scores his 200th goal in EPL, becomes second player after Alan Shearer with a double century of goals
Barca have largely endured a frustrating transfer window, losing Neymar for a world-record €222m fee to Paris Saint-Germain and facing defiance from Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund over top targets Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele.
Brazil’s Paulinho was signed for €40m from Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao and Nice’s Jean Seri is reportedly close to securing a move, but Benedito believes Barca’s recruitment of midfielders underlines a sense of confusion over their transfer plans.
“The feeling given by the board is that they don’t know what they’re looking for in the market,” said Benedito, who began a campaign to lodge a vote of no confidence against the club’s directors in June. replied: “Yep. We created three, four chances before the goal. They play man-to-man, six, eight players there, closing (down).
“(Ashley) Williams, (Phil) Jagielka, (Michael) Keane, (Leighton) Baines, all the guys, they are very good in one-againstone. We tried to find the way to attack them and we did it. (When the opposition) arrive once (in the box), score a goal, that can happen. Our amount of opportunities on target or close to the target was good. We were there all the time. We never gave up, with the spirit of the Mancunians.”
He added: “What we can do is try and create the chances. Maybe one day we’ll change, we’ll find it. “Last season we were the first or second team for creating clear chances. I think the first one. We just made (scored) 16 percent. In that level, it’s results. In our box, it was perfect. They arrived once. But OK, we will improve.”