From The Mirror:
‘They came to remember the Best of all time, the iconic figure who helped make Manchester United what they are.
But the fans who walked out of Upton Park last night were all talking about the best we have bred in this country since the Belfast Boy. And rightly so.
Yet on a weekend overtaken by memories of a legend, it was fitting the man who will carry English football's hopes on his shoulders in
In terms of styles, there are surely more differences than similarities between Rooney and George Best. But football is about heroes, about that select group of players you would dig deep into your pockets to come to see, the ones whose sheer brilliance can transcend the tribal instincts of the game.
Make no mistake, Rooney is a player over whom we will all go misty-eyed when he hangs up his boots, that perfect fusion of strength and desire, class and vision, with a bit of venom added for good measure.
At the moment, he is an Old Trafford talisman too. Rooney has scored in 18 matches since joining the club and United have won all 18 of them. And without Rooney last night - or the infusion of calm and discipline Gary Neville's 37th-minute introduction brought to a back line in danger of being bulldozed off the park by Marlon Harewood - the Reds' title hopes may have been virtually extinguished.
More than ever, Sir Alex Ferguson was grateful to Rooney's persistence and spirit after his side made the sort of sloppy, sleepy beginning they cannot really afford while still trying to come to terms with life after Roy Keane.’