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Cristiano Ronaldo rolled back the years to score a mesmerizing hat-trick and fire Manchester United to a crucial 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. The win in their Premier League matchday 29 fixture saw the Red Devils climb back into the top-four, leaving rivals Tottenham in seventh place.
Having endured a harrowing 4-1 defeat to reigning champions Manchester City in their previous outing, Ralf Rangnick's side needed a positive showing against Spurs. In front of a packed Old Trafford, United’s majestic No.7 made sure they returned to winning ways in the most sublime fashion.
After weathering Tottenham's attack in the opening minutes, Manchester United pulled ahead in the 12th minute, courtesy of Ronaldo’s sublime strike from range. The visitors pushed hard to equalize and eventually restored parity just after the half-hour mark through a penalty.
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Alex Telles handled Dejan Kulusevski’s cross inside the United box and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot. Spurs’ talisman Harry Kane stepped up to bury the chance from the resultant spot kick.
Three minutes after Spurs’ equalizer, United once again put their noses ahead. This time, the Portuguese show-stopper applied the finishing touch from close range, giving Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris no chance whatsoever.
A Harry Maguire own goal put the north Londoners back on level terms with 20 minutes left on the clock. Thankfully for the hosts, they had a certain Cristiano Ronaldo in their ranks, who took it upon himself to be their messiah on Saturday.
In the 81st minute, he rose to meet Alex Telles’ inswinging corner, slotting his thumping header past Lloris to help United win the game.
On that front, here are five Manchester United players who proved their mettle against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday:
#5 Alex Telles
United left-back Alex Telles conceded a penalty just past the half-hour mark on Saturday evening. However, the Brazilian refused to let that mistake define his game.
He pushed hard to turn his fortunes around and ultimately produced the goods in the final stretch of the match.
His corner-kick delivery to Ronaldo in the 81st minute was sublime and more than made amends for the handball incident.
Apart from assisting Ronaldo’s third goal, Telles produced two key passes, won five ground duels, and attempted two tackles.
#4 Nemanja Matic
Despite not being in the thick of things this season, former Chelsea star Nemanja Matic produced a sublime performance on Saturday evening. He was calm and collected on the ball, rarely giving it away, which allowed Pogba and Fred to be more adventurous going forward.
The 33-year-old also produced an inch-perfect ball for Sancho in the build-up to United's second goal.
Against Spurs, Matic completed 42 passes with 95 percent accuracy, won two tackles, registered six recoveries, and only lost possession four times.
An industrious outing from the Serb.
#3 Jadon Sancho
Manchester United's summer signing Jadon Sancho produced an important performance against his side’s top-four rivals on Saturday. The former Borussia Dortmund man was clever on the ball, had the courage to take on defenders and clinically assisted Ronaldo in the first half.
Down the left flank, the Englishman ran Matt Doherty ragged. He used his pace well and was always on the lookout for important opportunities. In the 38th minute, Matic’s inch-perfect long ball found Sancho’s in a threatening area.
The youngster continued his dash forward, went into the inside-left channel and squared the ball off to Ronaldo in the center of the box. The Portuguese, of course, took care of the rest.
Despite being in a position to shoot himself, the England international chose to take the safer route and set up the 37-year-old. The selflessness and clinical decision-making he showed on Saturday is bound to win some of his critics over.
On Saturday, Sancho created four chances, completed two dribbles, registered two interceptions, and won four ground duels. Another impressive performance from the flourishing 21-year-old.
#2 Fred
With Matic taking care of defensive responsibilities on Saturday, Fred was allowed more freedom to roam up top. He took the opportunity to demonstrate his creativity, emerging as Manchester United’s driving force going forward.
The Brazilian, who has often been criticized for his distribution and movement, seemed like a changed man against Tottenham. He dribbled effortlessly, created goalscoring opportunities, provided inch-perfect long-balls, and did not let Spurs' midfielders outmuscle him.
On Saturday, he delivered three key passes, completed four dribbles at a 100 percent success rate, won five of seven ground duels, and saw four of his long-balls reach its intended target.
The midfielder was also awarded an assist for Ronaldo’s scorching opening goal. While it would be a stretch to call it an assist, his flick for the Portuguese was definitely easy on the eye.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
The man of the moment, Cristiano Ronaldo once proved why he is rated so very highly by football fanatics all around. Defying biology, the 37-year-old Portuguese sensation scored a stunning hat-trick, showing there is still a lot of fight left in him.
Coming into the starting XI after the absence against Manchester City, Ronaldo looked hungry to make headlines right from the get-go. It took him just 12 minutes to make sure all the sports tabloids and newspapers had his name on Sunday’s first page.
From 25 yards out, he dispatched a piledriver at Hugo Lloris’ spot. Completely blindsided by the sheer genius of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, the Spurs keeper was rooted to the spot as the ball went past him.
Three minutes after Spurs’ equalizer, the inevitable happened once again, with Ronaldo slotting Sancho’s offload home from close range. The former Real Madrid man finally completed his treble in the 81st minute, applying a thumping finish to Telles’ perfect corner-kick delivery.
A special performance from one of the best players in the history of the great sport.
