Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has described his match-winning strike against Manchester City as the best goal of his professional career.
Rooney, who had been enduring another poor performance, produced a moment of stunning skill in the 78th minute of Saturday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
It was a goal fit to win any game and the 25-year-old said it had been an instinctive finish from Nani's cross.
Asked if it was the best goal of his career, Rooney told Sky Sports: "I think so.
"I saw it come into the box and thought 'why not?' Thankfully it finished up in the top corner.
"I was trying to get in a good position for when Nani crossed it. Nine time out of 10 they go over the crossbar. Today it ended up in the top corner.
"It is instinct. You don't have time to think about it."
Asked when he had last scored with an overhead kick, Rooney replied: "In school I think. It's the first one since I started playing professionally."
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was effusive in his praise of Rooney's winner, hailing the goal as the best he had seen at Old Trafford.
Ferguson told Sky Sports: "I've never seen anything like it, that's for sure. It was absolutely stunning, unbelievable.
"The thing about that goal is that Nani's goal will be completely forgotten. It was an unbelievable goal but no-one in their right sense will even talk about it."
City boss Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, admitted: "It was a fantastic goal that Rooney scored and it changed this game."
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| Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney scores an overhead kick against Manchester City Photo: Getty Images |
Rooney, who had been enduring another poor performance, produced a moment of stunning skill in the 78th minute of Saturday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
With the score locked at 1-1, Rooney leapt to meet Nani's cross and magically picked out the top-right corner beyond a despairing Joe Hart.
It was a goal fit to win any game and the 25-year-old said it had been an instinctive finish from Nani's cross.
Asked if it was the best goal of his career, Rooney told Sky Sports: "I think so.
"I saw it come into the box and thought 'why not?' Thankfully it finished up in the top corner.
"I was trying to get in a good position for when Nani crossed it. Nine time out of 10 they go over the crossbar. Today it ended up in the top corner.
"It is instinct. You don't have time to think about it."
Asked when he had last scored with an overhead kick, Rooney replied: "In school I think. It's the first one since I started playing professionally."
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| Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Manchester City Photo: Getty Images |
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was effusive in his praise of Rooney's winner, hailing the goal as the best he had seen at Old Trafford.
Ferguson told Sky Sports: "I've never seen anything like it, that's for sure. It was absolutely stunning, unbelievable.
"The thing about that goal is that Nani's goal will be completely forgotten. It was an unbelievable goal but no-one in their right sense will even talk about it."
City boss Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, admitted: "It was a fantastic goal that Rooney scored and it changed this game."
