Manchester City 1 Everton 1
Wayne Rooney became only the second player to score 200 Premier League goals when he found the net for Everton against Manchester City on Monday night.
The former Man Utd striker joins Alan Shearer in a very exclusive club, and although Everton couldn't hold out for the three points it was nonetheless a memorable evening for Rooney, 15 years after he scored his first top-flight goal.
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"It was nice," said Rooney, who now has two goals in two games since rejoining Everton in the summer. "To do it in such an important game for us, with tough games coming up, it was a sweet moment and I am sure the red half of Manchester will have enjoyed it as well."
Shearer certainly enjoyed it, the former England forward tweeting: "Congratulations Wayne on reaching 200 Premier League goals, a great achievement… I am sure you have a few more goals in you."
Rooney found the net on 35 minutes, the 31-year-old latching onto Dominic Calvert-Lewin's pass and firing the ball between the legs of City keeper Ederson. The home side then suffered another blow with the dismissal of Kyle Walker on the stroke of half-time for two bookings in quick succession.
That left City at a distinct disadvantage in the second half but they showed good character to fight their way back into the game. Their equaliser came eight minutes from time when Raheem Sterling volleyed Mason Holgate’s poor clearance into the Everton net. On an evening when everything finished level, Everton were also then reduced to 10 men with Morgan Schneiderlin shown a red card for a foul on Sergio Aguero.
City manager Pep Guardiola called the result "one of the proudest days in my life to see how we’ve done, the way we’ve done it, 10 against 11".
Refusing to be discuss the dismissal of Walker, who was unlucky to be receive a second yellow card when he appeared to back into Calvert-Lewin with his shoulder and not a raised elbow, Guardiola left it to Sterling to express City’s frustration with the decision.
"It's decisions like those that last season cost us a lot, lost lots of points and it’s happened again this season," said the England winger. "I didn't think it was a red card. It's not my point to give and go further into it but I didn't really see it as a second booking, so I think it’s really unfair to us.
But the night belonged to Rooney, who was praised by his manager, Ronald Koeman. "He is still the player that every manager needs in his team," said the Dutchman. "He is back home. He is that teacher for younger players. We would like to win titles and he knows how to win titles. He has that cleverness to know the best decision on the pitch."
With two goals in two games, and looking sharper than he has for several seasons, Rooney was asked after the match if he was expecting an England recall after being overlooked by Gareth Southgate for the matches against Scotland and Spain earlier in the summer. "I'm sure I’ll speak to Southgate over the next few days, we’ll see what happens," he replied.
