THE PREMIER LEAGUE
Hear hear...Romelu Lukaku gestures to the Everton fans after getting on the scoresheet against his old club as Man United ran up a 4-0 win while Reds boss Jose Mourinho offered a handshake to former United star Waye Rooney on his return to Old Trafford
IT was a day of reunions in Manchester as Wayne Rooney returned to Old Tr Trafford and Romelu Luka kaku faced up the Everton fa faithful for the first time sin since the pair swapped clubs in the summer.
In the end, there was an unha happy homecoming for the Theatr tre of Dreams’ most prolific ma marksman as he watched United ed’s new figurehead propel Jose Mourinho’s side to a thumping 4-0 -0 victory.
Lukaku was everything that Ro Rooney used to be in a red shirt -i- intelligent, powerful, clinical an and he found the net again to em emboss goals from Antonio Va- lencia and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Anthony Martial rounded off the scoring from the penalty spot to send the Red Devils joint top of the Premier League and leave Everton languishing in the relegation zone.
This encounter could have been yet another entry in the Rooney scrapbook as he revisited the scene of his greatest exploits wearing the colours of his boyhood team.
In reality, he looked a million miles from home as the Toffees paid for their profligacy with a late barrage of United goals.
The only comfort the former England captain could take from a chastening first trip back to his old stomping ground was that while he retained the adoration of his former club’s supporters, the same could not quite be said for Lukaku.
The Belgian - jeered by the travelling contingent throughout - cupped his ears towards the away end after setting up Mkhitaryan for United’s second and there was little hint of restraint when he side-footed home a third minutes later.
Lukaku, however, shrugged off the exchange as “banter”.
He told Sky Sports: “It’s another goal, really, but I’m happy with the win and staying near the top of the league.
“It’s just a bit of banter, with the free-kick I missed, they booed me. It’s just football.
“Years after years I know I have to stay patient, keep planning and believing the ball will