Premier League – With a hat-trick, Cristiano Ronaldo offers victory to Manchester against Tottenham

The legend has once again set the record straight. Recently criticized and ineffective, Cristiano Ronaldo slammed a fantastic hat-trick to allow Manchester United to overcome Tottenham on Saturday in a clash of the 29th day of the Premier League (3-2). The Portuguese first surprised Hugo Lloris with a heavy long shot (12th) then beat him close (38th) before deceiving him with a header from a corner (81st). The Spurs had equalized twice by Harry Kane (35th, sp) then on a csc from Harry Maguire (72nd). The Mancunians temporarily take 4th place in the standings. Tottenham remain 7th.

Heckled by the English press for going to Portugal and having missed the derby lost by his teammates due to a hip injury, CR7 was recovered and started. On the other hand, his compatriot Bruno Fernandes, certainly affected by the Covid, was absent. It was with Paul Pogba as playmaker that the Mancunians started the match with ambition. The Frenchman quickly served Cristiano Ronaldo for a failed lob attempt (7th). Percussive on the left, Jadon Sancho also gave back for his center forward whose recovery was slowed down by hand by Eric Dier but the referee did not flinch (9th).

In short, CR7 was already unleashed and decided to try his luck suddenly in the axis at 25 meters after a subtle deviation from Fred. His powerful shot surprised Lloris on his right (1-0, 12th). If Pogba’s curled shot slipped past the goalkeeper’s cage for the Blues (16th), Tottenham reacted well and took the lead thanks to a great burst of energy. Diogo Dalot had to save on his line after a header from Dier following a corner (26th). Alex Telles, he was penalized for a hand in his area on a cross from Dejan Kulusevski and Kane converted the penalty to equalize (1-1, 35th).

CR7 on fire

More realistic, the Red Devils however quickly calmed down the visitors when Sancho, launched on the left, found Cristiano Ronaldo at six meters for a small easy recovery in the race (2-1, 38th). After the break, the Londoners again pushed hard against cautious Mancunians and Kulusevski served Son for a close recovery (61st). Responding on the counter, Fred and Sancho launched Ronaldo to the right of the opposing area for a powerful cross shot from a tight angle that Lloris repelled with difficulty (66th). The Spurs’ efforts and domination were nevertheless rewarded when the clumsy Maguire deflected the small center of the hyperactive Sergio Reguilon into the nets of David De Gea (2-2, 72nd).

Lloris still resisted Ronaldo (77th) but could not do anything when the latter won in the air at the penalty spot on a corner from the right to send the ball with his head into the top corner (3- 2, 82nd). Author of his 12th goal of the season in the league, his 807th career, the Portuguese was able to leave in stride while the public of Old Trafford sang to his glory. His partners held on in the last ten minutes and are moving forward after their severe loss to City (4-1) and before finding Atlético in the Champions League. For Tottenham, who remained on two big victories in the league, it’s a sudden stop.