James Lawton in the Indie:
‘There were some who laughed derisively when football men of judgement and great achievement said earlier this year that Wayne Rooney had announced a talent that had the potential to make him one of the greatest players of all time.
‘His goal against Newcastle on Sunday was a staggering amalgam of power and skill, something to put alongside the best of Sir Bobby Charlton, and reminiscent of the extraordinary conviction of Zinedine Zidane in the Hampden Park Champions' League final three years ago when he scored what some considered to be one of the best goals of all time.
‘Rooney will always surface in such dramatic fashion. He is indeed one of the great players. At the age of 19 he has a dazzling portfolio of superior goals, starting with his first as a pro, the one that wrecked Arsenal and persuaded Arsène Wenger that he was most talented young English player he had ever seen.
‘Wenger's grand announcement was headline material that provoked in some quarters the cynical reflection that it also deflected from the impact of Arsenal's defeat. Now it seems like the obvious. Rooney, truly, is a player of the ages. We can only pray that he escapes the ravages of a time of cheap and often laughably inflated celebrity.’
Times:
‘There were eight English players in the PFA’s team of the season announced on Sunday night and, extraordinarily, there was still no place for Wayne Rooney. Perhaps that XI could cope without the Young Player of the Year but, increasingly, it appears that Manchester United and England cannot.
‘The nation’s dependence on a teenager was confirmed at Euro 2004 when he limped off against Portugal with a broken foot.
‘If carrying the expectations of the country was not bad enough, Rooney appears to be shouldering the heaviest burden at Old Trafford. It did not require his stupendous goal against Newcastle United on Sunday to underline his growing importance to Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, although in saving United from another wretched afternoon his shot reaffirmed that he has been one of the few positives in the latest indifferent season at the club.
‘If a new manager was to start there tomorrow (and that might not be such a bad thing) he would begin by writing down the name of Rooney, left, and then working out the other ten. The forward has the talent to cope, but the question — and the prayer — on everyone’s lips is whether he has the temperament to withstand the growing demands.
‘His background on Merseyside was never likely to be the best preparation for fame and fortune. He will continue to attract trouble unless he is tucked up in bed by 9 o’clock every night and, understandably, he has shown little inclination to spurn the chance of an evening out with the lads.’
Henry Winter in the Telegraph:
‘After accepting his award from Eriksson as Young Player of the Year, Rooney found a quiet antechamber away from all the back-slappers and explained the origins of "my best goal ever". Manchester United's vibrant striker has caught a dropping ball with devastating effect many times before, notably that sensational second goal against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup this season, but it remains a demanding skill, one that only true technicians from Sir Bobby Charlton to Paul Gascoigne and Paul Scholes have turned into an art form.
‘Much of Rooney's remarkable finish against Newcastle United was rooted in pure instinct, though he readily acknowledges that assiduous practice makes perfect. "On the training ground we do a lot of crossing and finishing," said this man-child who is happiest in a ball's company. "Me and Scholesy stay behind after the sessions to practise shooting and volleying.
‘"It's normally Roy [Carroll] or Tim [Howard] in goal. First-team players stay to knock the ball in for me and Scholesy, so it's always high-quality delivery. Most of the volleys go over the bar or wide. Luckily, I caught it sweetly against Newcastle and it went into the top corner."
‘Power is Rooney's trademark, the broadsword to the rapier hits of a Dennis Bergkamp. "I've always liked striking the ball and hitting it as hard as I can," continued Rooney, who is shorter than perceived but lean and strong. "If you can hit the ball as hard as you possibly can you've always got a chance. The keeper might not be able to hold on to it. Even if he does save it there's a chance of it rebounding for someone else to score. I've always thought that way, so when I have a shot from outside the box I just hit it as hard as I can.
"I just concentrate 100 per cent on the ball rather than where the keeper is. Any forward will tell you they always know where the goal and the keeper are; so as long as you concentrate on the ball and catch it nice you've got a chance of it going in."
‘Though most dangerous when unleashed through the middle, Rooney argues that operating out wide for United "benefits" him. "When you play on the left, like I have this season, you have to become a lot fitter to get up and down the pitch. It suits me as well sometimes, cutting in from there on to my right foot and shooting. I'm happy to play anywhere."