Wayne Rooney on hat-trick at Club Brugge: 'I'm delighted to get the goals'

Entering the second leg of Manchester United's Champions League play-off at Club Brugge, Wayne Rooney had gone 10 fixtures without scoring, last finding the back of the net in April.

Sure enough, the 878-minute drought came to end on the 20-minute mark of the match, as Rooney slotted home a phenomenal through ball from none other than Memphis Depay.

Then came a second goal just after the interval.

And then, in the 57th minute, Rooney beat 'keeper Sinan Bolat for the third time, tallying his first European hat-trick in 11 years.

The captain spoke after the game about the happiness that comes with ending a prolonged period without scoring, but made it clear he "wasn't worried" by the barren spell.

"I'm delight to get the goals," Rooney said, according to the Guardian. "More importantly, it was a massive game for the club, to get through to the group stage, after being out of it last year. A great result, a great level from the two games. We are delighted we are through to the draw.

"If the goals don't go in, I still bring a lot to my teammates. To be honest, if I didn't have a strong character, then maybe it would have affected me but I know my quality, I know what I give to the team. Thankfully I had chances tonight and I took them. I wasn't worried - if it was going on for three, four or five games more, then maybe so. But it's early days and I knew when the chances came I would take them."

Rooney added: "As a striker, obviously you want to score. Everyone goes back to last season and towards the end I didn't score. People make a big thing of it. I understand. I have understood since a young age because of my name, because of who I am it will get publicised a lot more. That is a part of my job. I have to accept that."

This season has seen Rooney return to featuring as a striker, a role he embraced in 2009-10 and 2011-12, when he scored 34 goals in all competitions in each, and one he describes as his "best."