Wayne Rooney’s had a few matches back in Everton blue, but his Premier League return to Goodison Park was circled on his calendar.
It finished 1-0. Guess who scored.
[ RECAP/VIDEO: Everton 1-0 Stoke ]
Netting the match-winner was a dreamlike moment for Rooney. Even a man with 199 Premier League goals is going to notice the combination of returning home, Opening Day, and a go-ahead goal.
And with a murderous run of fixtures ahead, the longtime Manchester United and England captain knows how much this can mean to the Toffees. From the BBC:“On a personal level scoring the winning goal at Goodison Park is a special moment. It doesn’t get much better. To play for this club is a huge deal for me.”
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“We’ve got some tough games coming up so it’s important we got off to a good start.”
Everton hosts Hajduk Split in the first leg of a Europa League playoff tie on Thursday, and then faces Man City, Chelsea, and Manchester United away, with a visit from Spurs for good measure.
Yep, these three points and that moment for Rooney may be invaluable for the season’s momentum.
