Wayne Rooney recalls locking Coleen out after Liverpool flags celebration ahead of Everton-Liverpool derby

Wayne Rooney has revealed a personal moment from the Merseyside derby, saying he once locked Coleen out of their home after she hung Liverpool flags to celebrate a title win by Rooney's rivals. The anecdote, shared on his Wayne Rooney Show podcast, underscores how intensely the rivalry between Everton and Liverpool can permeate life off the pitch.

The remark comes as Rooney discusses Saturday’s Premier League clash that will see David Moyes’ Everton travel to Anfield. Moyes, who gave Rooney his Premier League debut in 2002, is making his 23rd visit to the stadium with the Toffees and is still chasing his first win there. Liverpool, the reigning champions, have started the season in strong fashion, winning all four of their league fixtures to date, and will look to extend that run to five from five when the city’s fiercest derby returns to the Midlands-to-North coast matchup.

Rooney, now 39, is a lifelong Evertonian who spent two spells with the Toffees—sandwiching a 13-year stint with Manchester United—and he played seven Merseyside derbies against Liverpool during his time in the blue half of the city. He has said in retrospect that he never tasted victory in those meetings, an element that adds to the pressure of the upcoming fixture for a club and a city for whom this rivalry runs deep.

The Derby’s stakes extend beyond the current season, as Rooney points to a long-standing divide in his own family. He hails from a Blues-supporting background, while Coleen’s family has long backed Liverpool. The dynamic has surfaced publicly in the past; Rooney recalled a moment when Liverpool clinched a title and Coleen’s celebratory flags appeared around the home, highlighting how the rivalry can spill into domestic life.

The moment also reflects the social media and household dynamics that accompany big matches, where loyalties become talking points long after the final whistle. Rooney has described how the atmosphere surrounding training and match weeks can feel almost unbearable for players who grew up in this rivalry, particularly for Evertonians facing a Liverpool side that has enjoyed recent dominance at Anfield.

In the lead-up to big matches, Rooney said he would go to great lengths to focus on preparation and block out outside chatter. He described turning off televisions and avoiding coverage of the build-up to the game in the Everton training environment, a tactic he used to try to forget the threat posed by a Liverpool lineup that has consistently tested Everton’s resolve.

As Everton seek to upset the balance at Anfield, the city’s rivalry remains a potent backdrop. Rooney’s reflections serve as a reminder that the Merseyside derby is not just about 90 minutes on the pitch but about decades of fierce competition that can frame family loyalties, personal routines, and the emotional costs of prestige in English football.