Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 700th career club goal as Manchester United secured a 2-1 win at Goodison Park with an impressive comeback display.
All the talk under Erik ten Hag has been how Cristiano Ronaldo is a player that doesn’t fit his system. A 38-year-old that doesn’t have the pressing ability or energy to play for United anymore. But after Anthony Martial went off with an early injury, Ronaldo came on to change the game for his side.
It was a performance that not only showed off his immense finishing ability, something we have all become accustomed with over the last two decades, but also his desire. His manager left him on the bench against Man City out of respect for his career, but it simply isn’t where he belongs.
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At Goodison Park, he rolled back the years to score the classic Ronaldo goal. He may have 700 to his name, but this was one from the good old days. Casemiro won the ball back from Iwobi and played the perfect ball down the left channel where Ronaldo was waiting to race down the pitch and fire past Jordan Pickford to bag his landmark goal.
There was no ‘Siu’, just a zen meditation celebration alongside Antony, who had scored United’s equaliser. It was a strong comeback showing from a side that had gone a goal down early on and were looking for a much-improved display after their Europa League showing in midweek.
When Alex Iwobi picked out the top corner five minutes in, United’s travelling fans must have feared the worst. This is an Everton side that before kick-off boasted the best defence in the Premier League having gone six games unbeaten.
But they’ve spent big money on a star boy, who has enjoyed a sensational start to life at Old Trafford. Anthony Martial, still on the pitch at that point, found some space to feed through Antony, who finished well to become the first Manchester United player to score in each of his first three appearances in the Premier League for the club.
Big money signings can tend to flop, especially when they are joining a new league, but the Brazilian has made it look so easy. He hasn’t shirked any of the pressure that comes from wearing the shirt and was even the standout performer at the Etihad last weekend.
From that point, the away side dominated. A wonderful cross from Marcus Rashford saw Casemiro head wide when he really should have scored. But then Ronaldo produced, as he always seems to in these situations.
The defensive showing, especially near the end when Salomon Rondon and Dominic Cavert-Lewin were thrown on, will also please Ten Hag. His back line stood up tall and saw the game out even when the long balls came raining down. But today was all about one man.
With Martial nursing an injury and Rashford more effective from the left, there is an obvious spot for Ronaldo at the top end of this team. When you consider that the man himself will be doing everything possible to get gametime and goalscoring form ahead of what is surely his final ever World Cup, United could see the best of Ronaldo over the next month.
He almost certainly won’t be here next year, but United might just get to see the Ronaldo of old for a few more appearances in the famous red shirt.
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