Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has broken the record for the most number of Premier League goals scored for one club, as he netted in the 1-0 win against Liverpool to overtake Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
Henry had managed 175 goals from 258 games for the Gunners, but Rooney had equalled the record by scoring twice against Newcastle in a 3-3 draw in midweek.
The England captain, who scored 15 goals for Everton before joining the club for around£27 million in 2004, has now netted five times in United’s first four January fixtures and his career total now stands at 243 goals for the Old Trafford outfit.
He told Sky Sports of the record after the game: “I didn’t know! It is great to have records but scoring a winning goal at Anfield, it’s been a long time since that happened for me, so I will be a bit selfish today and enjoy that one.”
Rooney’s 191st goal in the league came against rivals Liverpool and his record is ensured of standing for some time as the other players who have scored over 100 goals for one club are no longer with that team or have retired.
Alan Shearer (Newcastle) is third on the list with 148 while Frank Lampard (Chelsea) is one behind on 147. Liverpool trio Robbie Fowler, 128; Steven Gerrard, 120; and Michael Owen (118) come next, with Shearer (Blackburn) making another appearance with his 112 goals.
Rooney’s former teammates at Manchester United Ryan Giggs, 109, and Paul Scholes, 107, are also on the list to complete the top 10.
He added to the BBC: “This is a special feeling, obviously. It is always great to score at your rivals and, against Liverpool for this football club, it is a massive result. On a personal note it doesn’t get much better.
“For my goal, I know Simon Mignolet is a very good goalkeeper and there were players trying to cover so I just tried to put my foot through it and take whoever was in the way with it! Thankfully it went in and won us the game.
“Today the performance wasn’t that important — the result was all that mattered.”