A week after United’s humiliating 4-1 Manchester derby defeat, Ronaldo responded emphatically to rumors about his absence at the Etihad by scoring his second Manchester United hat-trick, propelling Ralf Rangnick’s side to fourth place in the Premier League.
Ronaldo’s first-half thunderbolt and close-range finish, either side of Harry Kane’s penalty, gave United a halftime lead. After Harry Maguire’s own goal brought Spurs level for the second time, Ronaldo sealed the deal with a late towering header to complete a stunning hat-trick.
“Ronaldo looked angry today, and he played with a lot of aggression,” Sky Sports’ Keane said. “He’s obviously upset about what happened last week, but he demonstrated today what we’ve seen for years.”
“His three goals were fantastic; he’s a genius. Why do people think he can’t bring goals or value to the team when he brings so much to it?”
Gary Neville, a Sky Sports co-commentator, added: “Ronaldo’s confidence in himself. He is nearing the end of his career, but he is a modern-day superstar, one of the greatest of all time, and the greatest goalscorer of all time.
Ronaldo’s record-breaking performance
Ronaldo’s stunning treble saw him become the FIFA-recognized top goalscorer in football history, bringing his career tally to an incredible 807 goals and counting.
“Forget FIFA, those are a lot of goals,” Keane added. “The most difficult aspect of the game is scoring goals. Some players fail to score even in practice.
“I have to say, Manchester United aren’t very good. However, there are some magical moments in the game. The fans are ecstatic because they’ve seen Ronaldo, and they believe they’ve witnessed something special.”
“Ronaldo has always wanted to be the greatest goalscorer,” Neville continued. He’s obstinate and single-minded. He believes he is the greatest of all time, and his record is ludicrous.
“Those goals are at the highest level in Europe’s top leagues – Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Premier League.”
