More than a decade has passed since fans and followers of Everton FC saw former star player Wayne Rooney don the blue and white uniform but the Manchester United captain still holds the hearts of his Liverpool fans. With the resounding success of his reappearance with the team during the testimonial match for the Duncan Ferguson memorial, a number of spectators who cheered him on his return to Goodison Park expressed their desire to see the player move back and leave his present turf in Old Trafford.
The 29-year-old Manchester United star participated in the testimonial match for Ferguson over the weekend, playing as a substitute to Tom Cleverly, his ex-teammate at Red Devils, in the last 17 minutes of the game which saw Everton lose to Villarreal FC - a fact that seemed to have been overshadowed by the joy fans of the Liverpool team felt after seeing the Manchester United star sport his old uniform.
Prior to leaving Everton in 2004, Rooney garnered a total of 77 appearances for the team. His transfer to Manchester United cost 25 million pounds - a move that broke the hearts of his blue and white fans. Following this transfer to the Old Trafford clubhouse, Rooney had been welcomed by boos and negative reactions whenever he steps in Goodison Park for a match. Needless to say, the cheers and yells of the crowd during the Ferguson memorial delighted the national football team captain. "It's nice to come back here and the fans gave me a great reception, which obviously I was delighted with," he shared with EvertonTV, according to The Independent.
While the visit to Everton indubitably uplifted Rooney's spirit, it appears that his good mood won't last long. The United Manchester captain and his team are scheduled for their first match in the Premier League season this weekend against the Tottenham Hotspur, in which the former Everton main man expected to be Louis van Gaal's sole striker.
In a report by Daily Star UK, Rio Ferdinand reveals that van Gaal and Rooney are under tremendous pressure this Premiere League season. Citing the money spent by the Manchester United coach in an effort to supposedly boost the performance of the team, the fact that Old Trafford only landed fourth last season does not bode well for van Gaal. Hence, this season is expected to feature a relentless pursuit of the trophy by the Manchester United - with second place being the worst case scenario, according to Ferdinand.
