#3 Rooney’s first Premier League goal for United (October 24, 2004)
Rooney scored more goals and registered more assists against Newcastle United than any other side but it was against Arsenal that Rooney impressed the most when it came to clashes against United’s main rivals.
The match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on October 2004 would go down in history infamously as the “Battle of the Buffet” but it was also a highly significant match as The Red Devils brought an end to Arsenal’s 49-match unbeaten run in the Premier League in a fiercely-contested encounter.
The match saw Rooney impressing on the day that marked his 19th birthday as he won a contentious penalty after going down following Sol Cambell’s challenge helping Ruud van Nistelrooy slot home the penalty before scoring himself late on after Alan Smith set him up perfectly for a tap in.
This was Rooney’s first league goal for United and a performance that made the Old Trafford crowd fall in love with their teenage superstar.
