The on-form striker will return to his old stomping ground for a
Premier League clash with his tally increased to 99 following a
well placed strike from twenty yards in last night’s comfortable
3-0 Champions League win over Celtic at Old Trafford.
And despite the fact his first seventeen career goals were
bagged on Merseyside for Everton, Rooney feels no sentiment and is
determined to secure his milestone this weekend.
"For obvious reasons, Saturday is a big game for me," he said to
the Independent.
"It is always nice for any player to score 100 goals and if I
can do that back at Everton, where I started and at Goodison Park,
where I scored my first Premier League goal, it would be really
pleasing,” stated Rooney.
"But it wouldn't really matter if it was my first or my 100th,
it would still be really sweet."
The forward’s recent goalscoring form for both club and country
has been a complete transformation from a disappointing start to
the season, where he ended up being dropped for a clash with Bolton
Wanderers after a brief mis-firing spell.
And Rooney is unsure as to quite why he has had such a dramatic
change in fortunes, but is not complaining as he reaps the plaudits
from players, fans and pundits alike.
"I haven't got a clue what has changed,” he commented.
"I am starting to play a lot higher up the pitch and maybe I am
attacking defenders a bit more than I was but the manager always
allows you to attack players and create things in the opposition
half. That has not changed.”
Rooney continued: "Obviously, when you score goals you get more
confident and try different things. I am starting to run at
defenders and commit them a bit more, so maybe that's it.
"I just know I was disappointed my goal ratio slipped from 23 to
18 last season, so I want to get it back into the twenties again
this season."
Rooney will celebrate another personal milestone, his
23rd birthday,
tomorrow.
