Cristiano Ronaldo sinks Tottenham Hotspur in an absolute thriller at the theater of dreams. In what was a must-win game for Manchester United, Ronaldo turned up and delivered for his side when it mattered most. With reports circulating in the last couple of months arguing the 37 year old was a problem in this United side, it was imperative for Ronaldo to prove his doubters wrong, as he has done multiple times throughout his career.
Manchester United go Fourth as Cristiano Ronaldo Sinks Tottenham in Thriller
Good Response from United
After the battering United received last weekend at the Etihad, the fans expected a response from their side and it was indeed a good response as United started brightly. A peach of a strike from Ronaldo put them 1-0 up early in the first half. With Bruno Fernandes out due to illness, it was interesting to see how the midfield of Fred, Matic and Pogba would work. It appeared Pogba gave the side more control in the first half operating in the number 10 position. He kept the ball well and ensured his side did not lose possession in Spurs’ half. Spurs also responded well after going down and were awarded a penalty which Harry Kane dispatched with total ease. Jadon Sancho was once again excellent on the left hand side as he set up Ronaldo for his second. Sancho is a player who likes the ball to feet and links up well with teammates. However, his run for the second goal in behind the defence was something different and brilliant to see. It appears Sancho has acclimatized to the league now and is playing with high confidence.
Pressure from Spurs Pays Off
Spurs dominated the second half as United sat back. The wing-backs were finding decent success and were stretching United’s defence. Dejan Kulusevski was impressive in an advanced role and Pierre Emile Hojberg was solid in the middle of the park after coming back into the side. The pressure they exerted onto Ralf Rangnick’s side paid off as Harry Maguire stuck one in his own goal as he was flat-footed and scrambling after good play from the left-hand side from Spurs. It felt Antonio Conte’s would take a point back to Tottenham but a powerful header from Ronaldo in front of the Stretford End meant United stole all three points. While the goals Tottenham scored were fortunate, they did play well and it is clear to see Conte has got them playing to a higher level. In terms of the top four race, while it is still mathematically possible for Spurs to achieve top four, it feels this soft underbelly they possess will continue to let them down this season. United will receive a massive confidence boost ahead of a crucial fixture midweek and if they are to beat Arsenal to the fourth spot, this performance and result will boost the overall team morale to potentially achieve that target.
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