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Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his return to the Premier League in style, already bagging three strikes in just five games. Having initially joined Manchester United in 2003 as a raw, unproven talent, the prodigal son returned to Old Trafford after 12 years as a certified superstar. Fans are eager to witness what Cristiano Ronaldo will bring to a weakened United side who haven't won the Premier League since 2013.
Cristiano Ronaldo already has an impressive record in the Premier League
While the current reputation of the Red Devils is that of a fallen giant on the road to recovery, this wasn't always the case. Under Sir Alex Ferguson, United were a winning machine, claiming eight top-flight titles between 2000 to 2013. At the center of his all-conquering side was a young Cristiano Ronaldo, accomplishing wonders under the guidance of the Scottish tactician.
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Known for his bewildering dribbling skills during his first spell in the Premier League, the Portuguese talisman managed to rack up 84 goals and 45 assists. For six seasons, Cristiano Ronaldo absolutely terrorized the Premier League full-backs, winning three titles in the process. The prolific frontman finally departed England in 2009 to join Real Madrid for a record-breaking fee of €94 million.
Having wreaked havoc in his first stint, the 36-year-old goal machine is now back to add to his tally. Now an outright target-man, Ronaldo will look to extend his goalscoring record in England. Like all legendary poachers, the Portugal international also has his favorite victims. On that note, let's take a look at the five current Premier League teams Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the most against:
Note: All stats are based on Transfermarkt and considered across all competitions
#5 West Ham United - 6 goals
At the time of writing, West Ham United are the latest team to have conceded a Cristiano Ronaldo goal in the Premier League. The Hammers proved to be helpless against the veteran's unparalleled poaching abilities, succumbing to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United on the fifth matchday.
However, in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, David Moyes' men were able to stage an upset, eliminating Manchester United from the EFL Cup in their subsequent meeting.
Even so, the 36-year-old forward comes out on top in terms of their overall record, having won five of their eight encounters. With six goals and one assist against them, Cristiano Ronaldo will be hoping to better his record against the Hammers in their next Premier League clash.
#4 Arsenal - 6 goals
The first member of the traditional top six of the Premier League to appear on the list, Arsenal have an eventful history with Manchester United, to say the least. The two sides have been bitter adversaries since the inception of the Gunners in 1886. Interestingly, their rivalry experienced a significant surge in quality during Cristiano Ronaldo's first stint in the Premier League.
In 15 encounters, Ronaldo's United have a favorable record of seven wins to Arsenal's four. Despite the Gunners' defensive prowess in the early 2000s, the Portuguese managed to score six times against the Gunners, even registering two assists. However, Arsenal have massively fallen down the Premier League ladder in the past few seasons.
With a current positioning of 13th place, the Gunners have a substantially inferior roster in comparison to Manchester United. Considering their recent run of form in the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo could have a field day when Arsenal visit Old Trafford on the 1st of December.
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#3 Newcastle United - 8 goals
The first victim of Cristiano Ronaldo's wrath following his return to the Premier League, Newcastle United were completely battered in the Portuguese's second debut for Manchester United. The Red Devils ran out 4-1 victors at home against the Magpies, thanks to a brace from their talisman.
Cristiano Ronaldo has an impeccable record against Newcastle United when it comes to results. Having played 12 matches against the Magpies, the prolific forward has attained victory on a whopping 11 occasions. In addition to his eight strikes, Ronaldo has also laid down five assists in their clashes.
With their recent takeover, Newcastle United are set to become the next superpower in the Premier League. Nevertheless, improvement in their roster would hardly make a difference for Cristiano Ronaldo, who is a certified giant-killer.
#2 Aston Villa - 9 goals
Similar to Newcastle United, Aston Villa are one of the many clubs that Cristiano Ronaldo just loves playing against. In fact, Villa are his favorite Premier League victims, as the Portugal international has scored the most (8) against them in the league.
While his failure to score against them in United's controversial 1-0 loss seemed concerning for the fans, Ronaldo will be looking to redeem himself in their upcoming clash. Regardless, his tally of nine goals in just 15 matches is impressive in its own right.
On top of that, Cristiano Ronaldo has been able to snatch a win on 13 occasions against Aston Villa, losing just once. Given their intriguing history, their next Premier League match, taking place on 15th January 2022, has the potential to be an absolute classic.
#1 Tottenham - 10 goals
An unexpected entry in the first place, Tottenham are the Premier League side that Cristiano Ronaldo absolutely loves scoring against. In 18 meetings, the legendary attacker has managed to rack up a tally of 10 goals and five assists against Spurs, decimating them in every instance.
Cristiano Ronaldo has also secured victory in 12 of their encounters. While five of his games against the London-based club have resulted in a stalemate, Spurs have managed to come on top just once.
Manchester United are yet to face Tottenham this season, with Ronaldo waiting eagerly to extend his goalscoring record against his favorite Premier League victims. However, his wait will be short-lived as the Red Devils are set to take on Spurs on 30th October in an all-star brawl.
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