Rooney has shut his critics up – Michael Carrick

Wayne Rooney has “shut people up over the years” on the way to becoming Manchester United’s all-time record goal scorer, Michael Carrick has said.

Rooney reached 250 career goals for United, surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton’s total of 249, when he curled home a late free-kick in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Stoke City on Saturday.


Carrick told BBC Radio 5 Live: “To play at the level he has done for so long — not just for his club but for his country as well you can’t underestimate how tough it is to play so many games and have that spotlight on you constantly.

“He has dealt with that and shut people up over the years when they have questioned him, and he’s still going strong today.”

Rooney, 31, arrived at United from Everton in the summer of 2004 with Carrick, 35, signing from Tottenham two years later.

They have won the Champions League, five Premier League titles and the FA Cup among other honours during more than a decade as United teammates.