Rooney, are you blind or just vain? List of top 3 PL players without Haaland

Fourteen goals in just eleven Premier League matches — a statistic that should end all debate. Yet somehow, it doesn’t.

Wayne Rooney has sparked another wave of discussion, this time with a rather unexpected shortlist. The ex-Manchester United icon revealed what he believes are the three standout performers of the Premier League campaign so far.

And astonishingly, Erling Haaland — Manchester City’s goal machine — is nowhere to be found. Instead, Rooney heaps praise on Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo, and, in a rather eyebrow-raising twist, Arsenal’s summer recruit Viktor Gyokeres. The selection has left supporters baffled.

On Amazon Prime Video, Rooney spoke glowingly about Semenyo: "I think he's been great for Bournemouth, continuing his form from last season." The winger has had a hand in over half of his team’s league goals.

Mbeumo, too, earned Rooney’s approval: "I think he was really good for Man United, even after a difficult start. I think he was really good." Rooney highlighted how the former Brentford man has exceeded expectations with his work rate and reliability.

“Third would probably be Viktor Gyokeres,” Rooney added. “Arsenal have been looking for a number 9 for years, and he came along – with determination, commitment, and good play with his back to goal. And he's scored a few goals, too.”

But this final pick is exactly where the criticism intensifies. Gyokeres has been decent, but far from extraordinary. While the Swede is still adapting to English football, Haaland is once again dismantling defenses at will — fourteen goals in eleven games, already outscoring Gyokeres before September had even ended. No surprise that Pep Guardiola places him in the same category as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Rooney’s verdict? Bold, puzzling, and — most notably — Haaland-free.