Rooney equals Charlton´s Man Utd all-time goalscoring record

Wayne Rooney has equalled Bobby Charlton’s record and become the joint-leading goalscorer in Manchester United’s history.

The 31-year-old drew level with Charlton when he prodded home Juan Mata’s cross from close range in the seventh minute of the FA Cup encounter with Reading on Saturday.

Both now have 249 goals for the club, although the England captain’s total came in 543 appearances, while Charlton took 758 games to reach that number before leaving Old Trafford in 1973.

It has been a difficult season for Rooney – he has had to overcome losing his place in the starting XI at both club and international level, while he was also criticised for being pictured allegedly drunk while on international duty.

249 – Wayne Rooney is now Manchester United’s joint-highest scorer of all-time along with Bobby Charlton (249). History. pic.twitter.com/9w5sbRG7vR

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 7, 2017

Rooney equalled the milestone after becoming United’s top European goalscorer in November when he passed Ruud van Nistelrooy to reach 39 continental strikes after netting against Feyenoord.

The forward joined United from Everton in 2004 for a reported fee of £25.6million and famously scored a hat-trick on his debut in a 6-2 Champions League win against Fenerbahce.

Rooney has twice hit his career-best tally of 34 goals in a season, in 2009-10 and 2011-12, while he has made it to double figures in all of his campaigns with the club.

He has won five Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the Club World Cup during his 12 and a half years at Old Trafford.