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Celebrating in style: We look at players who have revelled in goals against their former clubs

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United kisses the badge on his shirt after scoring against Everton

Frank Lampard showed little pleasure in scoring a crucial goal for Man City against former club Chelsea earlier in the season.

With the title rivals due to meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday Night Football, we look at times a player has scored against his former employer and celebrated in style - and one case of a player refusing to celebrate against a club he had never played for... 

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Wayne Rooney v Everton, April 2007

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United celebrates after scoring against Everton during their English Premiership football match
Image: Rooney celebrates against Everton

‘Once a blue, always a blue’. Wayne Rooney’s infamous t-shirt was supposed to declare his love for Everton but later fuelled the feeling of betrayal felt by some Everton supporters after his transfer to Manchester United. Almost three years on from his £25.6m move to the red half of Manchester, the boos rang out as loud as ever when Rooney and co. took on Everton at Goodison Park. And on 50 minutes, with Everton 2-0 up, it seemed the home fans would have the last laugh. However, United fought back and levelled thanks to a Phil Neville own goal, before Rooney tapped in at the far post with 11 minutes to go – and promptly kissed the badge of his United shirt. The England forward then teed up Chris Eagles for his first and only United goal to complete a remarkable turnaround and edge towards his first Premier League championship with the club.

Alan Shearer v Blackburn, April 2002

23 Apr 2002:  Alan Shearer of Newcastle celebrates after scoring the equalising goal during the Blackburn Rovers v Newcastle United
Image: Newcastle's Alan Shearer celebrates scoring against former side Blackburn

Alan Shearer had won the Premier League with Blackburn in 1995 but his celebrations as he netted a double against Rovers to secure his hometown club’s Champions League qualification in 2002 demonstrated his feelings for Newcastle. Blackburn twice went ahead through ex-Newcastle players in Andy Cole and Keith Gillespie, but the Premier League’s all-time top scorer twice struck against his former side – and twice celebrated with his trademark one-arm-in-the-air routine – to move Sir Bobby Robson’s side an unassailable seven points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea in the race for a shot at Europe’s elite.

Emmanuel Adebayor v Arsenal, September 2009

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12:  Emmanuel Adebayor of Manchester City celebrates in front of the Arsenal fans after scoring during the Barclays Premier
Image: Emmanuel Adebayor celebrates in front of the Arsenal fans

Just two months after his £25m move from Arsenal, Emmanuel Adebayor incensed his former supporters with a now-infamous celebration in front of the away fans at the Etihad. The Togo international headed City into a 3-2 lead – his fourth goal in four games for his new club – and proceeded to run the length of the field to slide on his knees in front of the Gunners’ travelling support. The celebration earned him a yellow card and, later, a suspended two-match ban for improper conduct. The FA opted to mitigate his punishment after concluding he was provoked by Arsenal fans – but they were less sympathetic when judging his clash with former team-mate Robin van Persie. A boot to the face of the Dutch striker earned Adebayor a three-match ban for violent conduct.

Paul Ince v Man Utd, May 1999

5 May 1999:  Paul Ince of Liverpool celebrates his goal during the FA Carling Premiership match against Manchester United played at Anfield
Image: Paul Ince celebrates his late equaliser against Manchester United for Liverpool

Paul Ince had won two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a League Cup at Manchester United earlier in his career, so his move to Liverpool from Inter Milan in the summer of 1997 was a shock. As well as Ince, only Peter Beardsley and Michael Owen have played for both rivals in recent times. However, Ince’s time with United did little to temper his celebrations when he struck a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw between the clubs at Anfield. The 88-minute strike left United three points behind Arsenal and put their now-famous treble in jeopardy. While the Manchester side went on to claim the league, FA Cup and Champions League crowns, the sight of their former midfielder celebrating in front of the Kop lives long in the memory.

Wes Hoolahan v Aston Villa, March 2014

Wes Hoolahan:
Image: Wes Hoolahan

It has become a trend for players not to celebrate a goal against their former club – but what about a player opting not to celebrate a goal against a potential FUTURE club? That’s what Wes Hoolahan did when he scored against Aston Villa for Norwich in March 2014. The midfielder had been close to a switch to Villa the previous January, handing in a transfer request which was rejected, but no move materialised. However, when the respective clubs met at Villa Park several weeks later Hoolahan delivered a muted response to his opener. As it was, Villa went on to win the game 4-1 – and Hoolahan never pulled on the claret and blue shirt, instead signing a three-year deal with Norwich the following summer.   

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