Iconic Everton Performances: Wayne Rooney, West Ham 2017

Everton made a poor start to the 2017/18 season, winning just two of their opening ten matches, and on October 23rd, manager Ronald Koeman was sacked.

Former Toffees’ favourite David Unsworth took caretaker charge for the next eight matches with little success, and on the 30th of November, the former West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was announced as the man to turn Everton’s fortunes around. Allardyce had earned a reputation as a manager who had ‘never been relegated’ and he would maintain that reputation during his brief spell on Merseyside.

The first game after Big Sam’s appointment would be against his former employers, with David Moyes in charge of the Hammers, though Unsworth was still the man in the dugout as Allardyce watched over at Goodison Park. In front of the incoming boss, it was Wayne Rooney who stole all the headlines with one of his most iconic performances in the blue and white kit.

Rooney, who was now being deployed much more in midfield than up front, was back in the starting lineup having been left on the bench for a humiliating 4-1 loss at Southampton.

Everton were awarded a penalty in the 18th minute, which Rooney stepped up to take. Joe Hart saved the Everton captain’s first attempt, but Rooney nodded home the rebound to hand the home side the lead.

Ten minutes later, Tom Davies broke down the right-hand side and put in a low cross which Jonjoe Kenny got the merest of touches on, only helping the ball to an unmarked Rooney at the back post to make it 2-0.

Rooney was pulling the strings in the heart of the midfield, playing like a man possessed. The Toffees went in at the break two goals to the good, and the crowd were really enjoying what they were seeing; little did they know, this would be the start of a seven-game unbeaten run.

Many inside an almost packed-out Goodison Park wondered whether they were going to see Rooney score his first-ever hat trick for the club, and they didn’t have to wait too long for their answer.

In the 66th minute, the West Ham goalkeeper rushed out to tackle the onrushing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and his clearance made it into the Everton half. However, it fell right into Rooney’s path. Without hesitation, Rooney struck the ball first time over the West Ham defenders, and the ball bounced once before nestling into the back of the empty net.

Everton scored again through Ashley Williams to wrap up a 4-0 victory, and after the game, the caretaker manager Unsworth talked about what a great hat-trick it was, and how Rooney proved why he deserved to be the captain with that display.

"It was one of the best goals I've ever scored," Rooney reflected. 

"I hit it as well as I've ever hit a football. To make it my first Everton hat-trick was special. It was a perfect moment."

Given the quality of goals Rooney recorded over a record-breaking career, that’s some statement.

While Rooney’s return to Goodison Park would only last one season, the former teenage sensation left his mark with 10 Premier League goals in 31 appearances. 

The man-of-the-match performance against the Hammers will certainly go down as his most iconic performance during his second spell with his beloved Toffees, and it will live long in the memories of all of the fans who were lucky enough to have witnessed his brilliance.

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