Managing Cristiano Ronaldo is “challenging,” interim Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick said on Saturday, after the 37-year-old rolled back the years with a hat-trick to beat Tottenham 3-2 and keep Manchester United’s chances of playing in the UEFA Champions League next season alive.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had scored just once in his previous 10 games, but three fantastic finishes took Ronaldo clear as the highest scorer in professional men’s soccer history, according to FIFA’s records, with 807 goals for club and country.
Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford has so far proven to be an anti-climax with his poor form sparking debate over whether his powers are waning.
Photo: AFP
He missed United’s thrashing in the Manchester derby last weekend and was criticized for a perceived lack of commitment, as he jetted off to Portugal to rehab a hip injury rather than watch his teammates lose 4-1 at the Etihad after reports he would have been dropped by Rangnick even if fit.
“It is challenging with players like him, but he showed today he still has the quality to play for Manchester United,” Rangnick said. “He’s part of the team and if we want to be successful, we have to do it together.”
“Today it was his best performance, at least since I arrived. Not only because he scored three goals, but he was also energetically good today and part of the whole team when we had to defend. A top performance by him, but also the rest of the team,” Rangnick added.
Victory lifts United back into fourth, although they are just two points ahead of Arsenal who have four games in hand.
A fifth defeat in eight league games is another blow to Tottenham’s hopes of a top-four finish as they remain seventh, now five points behind United.
“It’s difficult to explain this loss,” Spurs manager Antonio Conte said. “I think we didn’t deserve to lose, but at the same time, we need to understand how we can improve.”
In front of seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, Ronaldo was eager to show his own greatness, as he was restored to Rangnick’s starting lineup as one of five changes, with Bruno Fernandes the notable absentee due to illness.
It took just 12 minutes for him to make his mark with a stunning strike into the top corner from outside the penalty box.
A Tottenham equalizer was only a matter of time, but within three minutes, United were back in front thanks to a landmark goal for Ronaldo.
He turned home Jadon Sancho’s inviting cross to surpass Austria-Czech striker Josef Bican.
After a second equalizer arrived for Conte’s men, they succumbed again to Ronaldo’s predatory instincts.
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