2004–05 Manchester United F.C. season saves, but Wayne Rooney put the tie beyond doubt late on with a cool finish. Exeter had chances of their own, Sean Devine twice volleying wide and Andy Taylor forcing Tim Howard to save. Manchester United marched into the Fifth Round of the FA Cup with a 3–0 win against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on 29 January. John O'Shea put the defending champions in front after 10 minutes from close range. Wayne Rooney then brilliantly lobbed Mark Schwarzer from fully 40 yards after 67 minutes to double United's lead, before firing home a stunning volley with nine minutes left. Boro's
Wayne Rooney putting him on 187 Premier League goals, joint second with Andy Cole and behind only Alan Shearer. After an injury-related absence, Rooney returned to the starting line-up on 19 December, making his 500th Manchester United appearance in a 2–1 home loss to Norwich City. On 2 January 2016, Rooney scored in a 2–1 win over Swansea to move ahead of Cole as the Premier League's second top scorer of all time, and with 238 he surpassed Denis Law in United's top scorers of all time, behind only Bobby Charlton's 249. Fifteen days later, he scored the only goal in a