Wayne Rooney Goal Video: Manchester United Forward Scores Sensational Lob Against West Ham

Update: You can read a match report and see full highlights here.

Wayne Rooney scored one of the best goals of the season to put Manchester United in front against West Ham at Upton Park. From just inside the opposition half, the United forward, having shrugged off the attentions of James Tomkins, looked up and smashed a perfectly flighted lob over the head of the stranded West Ham goalkeeper Adrian.

With David Beckham watching from the stands, the goal brought immediate memories of the incredible strike from halfway the former England great scored for United against Wimbledon 18 years ago. For Rooney it was his 12th Premier League goal of the season and one that comes just weeks after he signed a massive new contract to remain at Old Trafford.

And Rooney’s goals will be important in the coming fixtures, with Robin van Persie ruled out for up to six weeks following a knee injury suffered against Olympiakos on Wednesday evening.

A 3-0 win over the Greek champions that sent them through to the Champions League quarterfinals was a welcome boost for under-pressure United manager David Moyes. The Premier League champions currently went into the match at Upton Park languishing in seventh place in the table and effectively out of the running to claim a spot in the Champions League for next season.