Mason Greenwood Wayne RooneyGetty

Greenwood wants goal record out of reach after bettering Man Utd's all-time leading scorer Rooney

Mason Greenwood has ripped a notable record away from Wayne Rooney at Manchester United and is now looking to ensure that his entry in the history books cannot be erased.

A highly-rated product of the Old Trafford academy system has become the top-scoring teenager in the club's history in the Premier League, with a 16th strike recorded in a 3-1 win over Aston Villa.

The Red Devils' all-time leading marksman, Rooney, now sits second on that list, with Greenwood determined to ensure that a notable bar is raised out of reach of others before he celebrates his 20th birthday on October 1.

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What has been said?

Greenwood told MUTV of a record-setting strike and topping a legend: "I just knew that he [Tyrone Mings] was coming tight to you in the box, so if you get a little movement then you can get half a yard. I finished it well, I'm happy with my goal.

"Hopefully there are many more to come. I'll try and keep scoring goals so no one else can come and break the record in the future! I’m happy scoring goals."

Perfect mentors

Greenwood hit 17 goals across all competitions last season - in what was a breakthrough campaign for him - with 10 of those efforts coming in the top flight.

He is up to 11 in the current campaign and believes there is more to come as important lessons are taken from those around him, including 34-year-old frontman Edinson Cavani - who could be sticking around on a new contract.

Edinson Cavani Aston Villa vs Man Utd Premier League 2020-21Getty Images

"You always know what he’s going to do but you still can’t seem to stop him," Greenwood said of his vastly-experienced team-mate.

"It’s nice to watch him off the bench. It’s the movement, everyone knows he can do it but it still seems they’re not able to stop him. 

"We’re all learning off him, me, Rashy [Marcus Rashford], Amad [Diallo]... we’re all looking up to him."

The bigger picture

The efforts of Greenwood and Cavani are helping to put United in contention for a top-four finish and Europa League glory.

An impressive record on the road, which has delivered no Premier League defeats this season, is aiding that cause, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be keen to see his side buck a trend that has left them having to stage stirring fightbacks on a regular basis.

Greenwood added, with the Red Devils conceding first again at Villa: "We’ve got a little bit of a bad habit. It’s not so bad if we come and get the three points; it’s just a wake-up call when they score.

"We know we can come back second half and get the three points. We need to work on it and not give little goals away in the first half so we don’t have to come back from behind."

Further reading

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