Ronaldo’s 59th career hat-trick makes him an official world beater
LONDON: Cristiano Ronaldo turned back all the clocks with the magnificent hat-trick with which Manchester United eased their fans’ fears.
The entertaining 3-2 victory over Tottenham at Old Trafford prevented Spurs from overtaking them to seize the all-important fourth place in the Premier League.Last season Spurs won 6-1 at Old Trafford but that is now as distant a memory as Ronaldo’s trip back to Portugal last week after a hip injury ruled him out of the derby defeat by Manchester City.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick was able to enjoy a joke in the aftermath of victory. Previously Ronaldo had scored only once in 10 appearances.
Rangnick said: “Maybe it makes sense to send him to Portugal for three days, then have him not training for two days, then have him back training on Thursday if that’s the way he performs. That was the best performance from him since I arrived here, on and off the ball.
“The team showed exactly the kind of reaction we expected after a poor second half at the Etihad.”
Ronaldo’s hat-trick was only his second in his two spells with United but was the 59th of his career and the 49th of his club career. He has scored a hat-trick in each of the last 13 seasons and his all-time goals tally in competitive matches now stands to 807. This, according to international federation FIFA, enthrones him as the world game’s record marksman.
Tom Brady, possibly the greatest American gridiron football player of all time, was an admiring spectator. Brady is an old friend of Spurs’ Harry Kane but it was the fate of England’s captain to score and inspire two comebacks yet still be overshadowed by a 37-year-old.
Ronaldo’s first goal was a spectacular drive from outside the penalty box. Kane equalised from a penalty before Ronaldo scored again from close range. Spurs then forced an own goal from Harry Maguire before Ronaldo’s coup de grace with a header to an Alex Telles corner.
United had 10 efforts on goal and Ronaldo accounted for eight. Tottenham manager Antonio Conte said: “Without Cristiano, for United, honestly this was not a good day.” But Rangnick will be happy with the solid performances of Raphael Varane in central defence, Nemanja Matic in midfield and the lively Jadon Sancho on the right wing.
England manager Gareth Southgate, sitting not far from Brady, will also have been impressed with Sancho ahead of a revitalised United’s bid to beat Atletico Madrid this week and reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
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