Wayne Rooney has become the highest goalscorer in Manchester United’s history, surpassing Bobby Charlton with his 250th goal for the club.
The 31-year-old drew level with Charlton in the FA Cup tie with Reading earlier this month but it is Saturday’s Premier League match at Stoke City that will now go down in United folklore.
With United trailing 1-0 at the bet365 Stadium, Rooney was sent on as a substitute midway through the second half and earned a last-gasp draw for his side, curling a superb free-kick into the top-right corner from the edge of the box.
The goal also saw Rooney break another record – becoming the top Premier League goalscorer in away matches.
The strike was his 88th top-flight goal on the road, moving him one clear of Alan Shearer in that category.
The England captain’s landmark strike came in his 546th appearance, while Charlton took 758 games to reach 249 before leaving Old Trafford in 1973.
It is less than two months after Rooney became United’s top European goalscorer, when he passed Ruud van Nistelrooy to reach 39 continental strikes after netting against Feyenoord on November 24.
This has been a difficult season for Rooney, having to overcome losing his place in the starting XI at both club and international level, while he was also criticised in November for being pictured allegedly drunk while on England duty.
The 31-year-old joined United from Everton in 2004 for a reported fee of £25.6million and famously scored a hat-trick on his debut in a 6-2 Champions League win against Fenerbahçe.
He has won five Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the Club World Cup during his career at Old Trafford.
