“It was horrible”- Wayne Rooney shares what he ‘hated’ about playing vs Everton when he was at Man Utd

Wayne Rooney Opens Up About What He Hated When Facing Everton

Former Everton striker Wayne Rooney has revealed there was one thing he truly disliked about playing against his boyhood club.

With David Moyes preparing to return to face Everton as West Ham manager on Monday night, the Scotsman will be desperate to secure three points against his former side. The Toffees, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after two consecutive away defeats and will be eager to turn things around at home.

Despite some pundits praising the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Chris Sutton isn’t convinced it’s a true fortress just yet. A home victory over the Hammers could go a long way in restoring confidence on Merseyside.

Rooney, who recently visited the new stadium, has been left impressed by the setup on the docks. However, he also shared an uncomfortable truth about his own experiences returning to Goodison Park after leaving Everton.

Rooney Reflects on Difficult Goodison Returns

While Rooney has fond memories of Goodison Park—where he first burst onto the scene—his visits there as a Manchester United player were far from enjoyable.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the 39-year-old England legend recalled the awkward feeling of being back at the stadium in an opposition shirt.

“Yeah, it was horrible. I hated it,” Rooney admitted. “It’s a ground I’ve been going to since I was a baby. And then to go back, I think I even tried to walk into the home dressing room out of habit.

“Instead, I had to go into the away dressing room and warm up on the opposite side of the pitch. Even during the warm-up, the fans were going at me. The sponsors—Everton’s own—had to walk with me because of the abuse I was getting. One of them even had a go at me on the pitch. It wasn’t enjoyable at all.”

Looking Ahead to Everton vs. West Ham

Rooney has spoken highly of Everton this season, but the Toffees will need to make full use of their home advantage against West Ham on Monday.

The clash brings Moyes back to face the club where he made his name as a manager. Ironically, Moyes has also come under criticism from Simon Jordan in the past for the way he handled Rooney during the early stages of his career.

Despite Rooney’s legendary status at Manchester United and his impressive goal tally, he rarely enjoyed facing Everton—perhaps due to his emotional ties to the club.

Interestingly, even players like Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike have named Rooney as an inspiration, showing how far his legacy reaches, despite the complicated relationship he had when facing the Toffees.