Wayne Rooney said it
Wayne Rooney said it « doesn’t get much better » than firing Everton to victory after waiting more than 13 years to score for his boyhood club once again.
Having enjoyed a record-breaking, medal-laden stint at Old Trafford, the 31-year-old this summer returned to Goodison Park in search of regular first-team football.
Rooney was thrown in from the outset in Everton’s Premier League opener and did not disappoint, with his header late in the first half enough to secure a 1-0 victory against Stoke.
« On a personal level scoring the winning goal at Goodison Park is a special moment, » England’s all-time top scorer told broadcasters after the match.
« It doesn’t get much better.
« To play for this club is a huge deal for me. The early games in the season are always tough because you are always finding your rhythm in games.
« We’ve got some tough games coming up so it’s important we got off to a good start. »
Rooney’s goal was the only moment of note in a dull opening period. Involved in Everton’s impressive build-up play, he continued into the box and nodded home Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fine cross.
The 31-year-old’s all-round display only improved after half-time, working hard in possession and out of it – leading to high praise from manager Ronald Koeman.
« There was one player in an Everton shirt today who from the first second to the last second was comfortable on the pitch, » the Everton boss said.
« He made every decision the right one and he scored a great goal from a great cross from Dominic.
« But in difficult moments in the game he showed his experience.
« He was clever, he was comfortable on the ball. That was different to some other players.
« That’s why we signed Wayne, expecting to show his team-mates all that experience and it was really important. »
Koeman knows Everton can do « much better » and expects his new-look side to become a more cohesive unit as the season progresses, pointing to the string of big-name players out through injury.
« For several reasons you sign new players, » the Dutchman said. « We don’t have really a lot more options in our team.
« We have some injuries, (Gareth) Barry was not available and (Ross) Barkley and (James) McCarthy and Seamus (Coleman) and (Yannick) Bolasie and (Ramiro) Funes Mori – then it is normal you get so many changes and maybe that was, first half, the difficulty.
« Maybe a little bit more nervous than normally they are and also the way Stoke play, defending-wise they make it difficult.
« Last season I think we won 1-0, the same result, and it was maybe a little bit the same. It was not our best game but we had more shots on target, more chances. »
Stoke manager Mark Hughes also struck a frustrated if philosophical figure after the match, admitting Rooney’s goal felt somewhat inevitable.
« I thought we did fine today, » he said.
« We had a lot of control, certainly in the first half. I think we were good value and we needed to get to half-time.
« Probably the only chance that Everton created in the first half was the quality ball that they put into the box for you know who.
« He was always going to be part of the story today. That was always the worry and that’s how it has panned out. »
