WAYNE ROONEY equaled Manchester United’s all-time goalscoring record by scoring his 249th goal for the club against Reading on Saturday.

    The 31-year-old went into the FA Cup third round clash with Jaap Stam’s side one goal shy of the mark set by Sir Bobby Charlton between 1956 and 1973, but his goal put United 1-0 up and took him level with the legendary club director’s tally.

    The skipper turned home Juan Mata’s pass with his knee after a driving run on the left by Anthony Martial, giving United a seventh-minute lead in the third-round clash at Old Trafford.

    Rooney, who signed for United from Everton in 2004, has reached the 249-goal mark four years and 215 games quicker than Charlton managed. His record-equaling goal came in just his 543rd game for the club.

    His most prolific campaigns came in the 2009-10 and 2011-12 seasons, in both of which he scored 34 times in all competitions. And while he has been unable to replicate such form in front of goal in recent seasons he has never finished a campaign with fewer than the 14 goals he netted in the 2014-15 season in which United’s calendar was truncated by a lack of European involvement.

    He now holds the distinction of being a record-holder at both club and country level, having overtaken Charlton’s England record in 2015. His 53 goals in 119 appearances for England put him four goals ahead of Charlton’s 49 in 106 games which saw him lead the Three Lions’ standings for 35 years.

    The task now for Rooney is to surpass Charlton’s club record, with the EFL Cup semifinal first leg against Hull City today providing an opportunity for him to take the United goals crown outright.

    Rooney’s latest milestone came in front of Old Trafford fans who have adored him, on and off, since he joined the club as a teenage prodigy.

    “It is a really proud moment for me,” Rooney said. “It was not something I could have imagined. You don’t think that far ahead, but I have been at this club a long time, it is a huge part of my life, and it is an honor to be up there alongside Sir Bobby.”

    United manager Jose Mourinho, who won the FA Cup when in charge of Chelsea in 2007, was effusive in his praise of Rooney.

    “A more special day will arrive,” he said. “It was great but I want one more goal. He is an amazing guy in the group and we all want him to do that. To have Wayne as the top scorer in a club like this is magnificent for him.” (SD-Agencies)