ROO SPOT ON FOR A DREAM REDS CRUNCH

WAYNE ROONEY made sure of his special day and a reunion with Manchester United.

Derby were barely troubled in this FA Cup fourth-round replay and United will be at Pride Park next month in the fifth round.

Whether he had the Red Devils on his mind or it was just pure focus, Rooney was behind all that the Rams did well.

Operating from deep midfield, he overwhelmed League Two Northampton and dictated just what Derby needed to do.

The last time Rooney, 34, played for United was a final-minute substitute’s cameo in their Europa League final win over Ajax in April 2017.

He played 559 times for United, scored a club record 253 goals – and now he has the opportunity to knock them out of the cup.

He showed his intent with a superb long pass through Northampton’s defence in the 20th minute and the hosts should have been ahead then.

But neither Jack Marriott nor Chris Martin took advantage.

Then Rooney’s 27th-minute corner was sent high in the air and, as keeper David Cornell tried and failed to get control, Andre

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Wisdom fired in his first goal for nearly eight years. He was playing for Liverpool then, away to Young Boys in a 5-3 Europa League win.

Rooney won the cup as one of his 12 United trophies, but this was potential banana skin.

The Cobblers’ hopes ended, however, when Duane Holmes (below) got Derby’s second, taking on Cornell and beating him 10 minutes before the break.

The visitors did hit back with a goal two minutes into the second half, Nicky Adams scoring from a Paul Anderson pass. But Marriott (top) restored the comfortable advantage for Derby with his 51st-minute header.

Then Rooney sealed the victory with a penalty on 77 minutes – his third goal in successive games.

Northampton’s Sam Hoskins also put away a spot-kick six minutes from the end, but it was only a late consolation.

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