Sensational Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick stuns Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League
Manchester United 3 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Cristiano Ronaldo 12’, 38’, 81’. Kane 35’ pen, Maguire 72’og
Ronaldo’s first Manchester United hat-trick since 2008 ( 14 years) earned his club a 3-2 win and took his overall career goal to 807 which breaks a world record for goals scored, after passing Czech-Austrian Josef Bican’s 805, who died in 2001. Tottenham twice equalised to Ronaldo’s efforts, through a Harry Kane penalty and a Harry Maguire own goal.
But Ronaldo had the final laugh after completing his first United treble.
The result was a major confidence booster for United before Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 second leg against Atletico Madrid, which also moves them to top four and keeps Tottenham in seventh, although Arsenal two points behind in fifth remain favourites to clinch the final Champions League berth as they have four games in hand.
“ Tremendously happy with my first hat-trick since I came back to Old Trafford. Nothing beats the feeling of being back on the pitch and helping the team with goals and effort. We have proven once again that we can beat any team in any given day, as long as we work hard and stand together as one. There are no limits for Man United! No matter what ! Let’s go, Devils!” the Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.
His performance came a week after Ronaldo missed the Manchester derby amid suggestions he had flown to Portugal, having been told he was dropped. United Boss Ralf Rangnick later rejected the allegation and said the 37-year-old had been ruled out with a hip injury.
The German described as Ronaldo’s best performance “on and off the ball” since he came to the club as interim manager in November.
“ We were just joking that maybe it makes sense to send him to Portugal for three days, then have him not train for two and then have him back, by the way he performed on a similar kind of level on Thursday in training”, said Rangnick.
Only Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah has scored more than the 37-year-old’s 12 Premier League goals and no United player has score more than half his overall total of 18 in all competitions.