Rooney’s treble also took him onto 125 PL career goals, leapfrogging over Nicolas Anelka and Robbie Keane, two of only four current players who prior to Saturday, had been above him in the list. Frank Lampard (140) and club-mate Michael Owen (149) are now firmly in his sights.
The Croxteth-born striker is now #10 in the all-time PL top-scorers list, but has still got some way to go to match the 260 PL goals scored by former England captain Alan Shearer for Blackburn Rovers & Newcastle United. At 25 though, time is on his side.
With Rooney’s already burgeoning reputation growing apace with his new hair, United have set the standard for the rest to follow this term.
Although Chelsea certainly cannot be discounted, the main challenge so far has come from cross-city rivals, Manchester City. And if Rooney is hot, then so too is PL new-boy, Sergio Aguero, who notched his first hat-trick in sky-blue against hapless, but previously unbeaten Wigan Athletic. Maradona’s son-in-law now has 6 goals, and of the four hat-tricks scored in the PL this season, none have been manufactured outside of the Manchester clubs.
Five new nationalities found their way onto the PL scoring charts this week, taking the overall total to 24 different countries represented. Bulgaria got off the mark with Stilian Petrov, Togo with Adebayor’s first goal in a Spurs shirt, Mexico with Chicharito’s brace over battered Bolton, and Russia thanks to Andrei Arshavin’s winner for a nervy Arsenal over Swansea City, who’ve yet to score this season.
The fifth new nationality to be added is Nigerian, through Peter Obemwingie’s winner for West Bromwich over Norwich on Sunday at Carrow Road. The former Lokomotiv Moscow striker’s goal has double significance being the fastest timed goal this season at 3 mins, one minute earlier than his club-mate Shane Long managed a few weeks ago at Stamford Bridge.
Sunderland were outclassed by Chelsea at the Stadium of Light, but that didn’t stop Ji Dong-Won (South Korea) becoming the youngest goal-scorer in the EPL this season at 20 yrs and 105 days. It was formerly Danny Welbeck with his opening weekend goal against Tottenham. Welbeck was 269 days into his 21st year. All Ji’s previous senior goals had come while playing for Chunnum Dragons in his homeland’s K-League.
As well as the Korean, there was a first-ever PL goal for young Spaniard Rueben Rochina of Blackburn Rovers in their 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage, Sunday. Rochina would have claimed the title of youngest PL scorer this season, had Ji not managed to hit the target a day previously. Danny Welbeck who held the distinction from the opening round of matches is now starting to sound experienced.
With # 3 on his back Leighton Baines 11th career, Premier League goal put Everton in the driving seat against Aston Villa. It was a position his team were unable to maintain, but he does retain the distinction of being the lowest-numbered player to score this season. Gabby Agbonlahor managed to score with 7 mins remaining to earn a share of the points at Goodison.
The Premier League resumes next weekend after the midweek interruption of European competition, with a mammoth fixture at Old Trafford. Can Chelsea stop the free-scoring Reds, and in particular Wayne Rooney? Will City go “nap 5” again in the capital? Can ‘stoked’ Liverpool get their revival back on tracks at White Hart Lane, and will Swansea finally score a goal?
All remains to be seen next weekend in round 5 of the English Premier League.
Top Scorers
1. Rooney (Manchester United & England) 8 goals
=2. Dzeko (Manchester City & Bosnia) 6 goals
=2. Aguero (Manchester City & Argentina) 6 goals
4. Klasnic (Bolton Wanderers & Croatia) 3 goals
=5. (there are 9 players on two goals each)
Goal source (by nationality)
1. England: 35 (37%)
2. Argentina: 9 (10%)
3. Ireland : 8 (9%)
4. Bosnia & Herzegovina: 6 (6%)
5. Spain: 5 (5%)
=6. Croatia: 3 (3%)
=6. France: 3 (3%)
