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

Five years ago today, Wayne Rooney scored the winning goal as Manchester United defeated Aston Villa to win the League Cup.

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.

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney celebrates his goal against Aston Villa wth team-mate Patrice Evra during the 2010 Carling Cup final at Wembley in London, on February 28, 2010© Getty Images

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.

Manchester United celebrate with the trophy after beating Aston Villa 2-1 to win the 2010 Carling Cup Final at Wembley, in north London, on February 28, 2010© Getty Images

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

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1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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