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Cape Town - Everton
striker Wayne Rooney insists the expectations on his shoulders has
helped motivate him to do well after returning to his boyhood club.
The former Manchester United star made his second Premier League debut for the Toffees on Saturday, after 13 years at Old Trafford, and made an immediate impact, scoring the winning goal with a header against Stoke City.
There were doubts about whether the 31-year-old still has enough left in the tank to make a difference at Everton, but he has used it as motivation to prove himself once again.
"There is a lot of expectation, coming back here," he said, according to Four Four Two. "There are some fans who maybe thought I wasn't good enough to come back here, but it is up to me to prove myself.
"I have been working hard and I am ready for that challenge to prove myself. I could have gone to another Premier League team and taken my foot off the gas and seen the last few years out. But coming back here? I have got to be the best I can be.
"It is the club I grew up supporting, it's the club I want to play for. I want to do well. I knew when I came back, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. That is how I like to play."
Rooney will be hoping to inspire his side when Everton they travel to the Etihad Stadium to face title favourites Manchester City on Monday.
Kick off is at 21:00.
