On this day: Wayne Rooney heads Manchester United to League Cup triumph

Throughout his career Wayne Rooney has scored all types of goals, yet it's his strikes from distance that people remember most.

His first ever Premier League goal against Arsenal was hit from 25 yards out, while he also fired a memorable volley into the Newcastle United net during the early part of his Manchester United tenure.

However, there is one finishing quality that is often overlooked when it comes to Rooney - his heading ability.

Down the years, the United forward has headed in a number of important goals, including one during the League Cup final against Aston Villa five years ago today.

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Sir Alex Ferguson actually started his frontman on the bench, citing illness and tiredness as the reason.

It seemed that United would not miss their talisman, though, as his replacement Michael Owen found the net in the 12th minute to cancel out Villa midfielder James Milner's early penalty.

But having had his career dogged by fitness problems, the injury curse struck again for Owen three minutes before the break. A hamstring pull forced off the former England international, who was replaced by Rooney.

It was a change that proved to be the encounter's defining moment because with 16 minutes remaining, the United substitute scored the winning goal.

Antonio Valencia played a one-two with Dimitar Berbatov, before standing up a cross towards the penalty spot. Rooney got up higher than the taller James Collins and he was able to guide his looped header out of Brad Friedel's reach and into the top corner.

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It was the sixth goal in succession that Rooney had scored with his head, showing that he had adapted his game to be a true force in the penalty box.

"It's a great feeling to play a final at Wembley and to score the winning goal is unbelievable," he said after the final whistle.

"Obviously I wanted to play but I had a bit of a sore knee. Fortunately for me I came on and I'm delighted with the winning goal.

"I was chomping at the bit to get on. You want to play in finals. Thankfully I have managed to do so and left my mark on the game."

VILLA: Friedel; Warnock, Dunne, Collins, Cuellar (Carew); Downing, Milner, Petrov, Young; Agbonlahor, Heskey

UNITED: Kuszczak; Evra, Vidic, Evans, Rafael (Neville); Park (Gibson), Carrick, Fletcher, Valencia; Owen (Rooney), Berbatov