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Cristiano Ronaldo's second stint with Manchester United ended in acrimonious circumstances. As we all remember, the all-time great was unceremoniously axed from Old Trafford on the eve of the 2022 FIFA World Cup after a fiery interview with Piers Morgan. Since then, he has been earning megamoney and scoring goals for fun out in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, but in his initial campaign with the Red Devils, CR7 was a different beast entirely.
United Post-Ronaldo
One could argue that United have been punished for their sins in the way they treated Ronaldo on his way out of the club. Since the five-time Ballon d'Or winner departed, the Red Devils have tumbled down the Premier League table. The latest sports betting odds as of late November currently list them at 33.00 to win the title this term, making them quite the long shot, placing behind Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Some believe this was unimaginable when they had Portugal's iconic captain leading their line. And considering these two displays, it's clear to see why.
Annihilating Tottenham
Back in April 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo was at the peak of his powers. He was the reigning Ballon d'Or holder for the first time in his career and was a few months removed from leading United to a second straight Champions League final. But in a home clash against Spurs in the midst of the title fight, he would have to play the role of the hero like only he could.
The Red Devils shockingly found themselves 2-0 down at half-time courtesy of goals from Darren Bent and Luka Modric. Then, CR7 turned the contest on its head.
Ronaldo pulled one back from the penalty spot before Wayne Rooney promptly levelled things up. The Portuguese talisman then gave his side the lead barely 60 seconds later before a second from Wazza and a late strike from Dimitar Berbatov secured a 5-2 victory. The result kept United three points clear of Liverpool in the title race and ultimately proved crucial in the Red Devils claiming a third straight Premier League title.
First United Hat Trick
The year prior, United had arguably their greatest ever lineup, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Carlos Tevez forming perhaps the fiercest front three the Premier League had ever seen. The attacking trident was on full display when Newcastle United visited Old Trafford in January 2008.
The Magpies were a million miles away from the team they are today, and were well on their way to suffering relegation. Unfortunately for them, they ran into a Ronaldo in the form of his life.
It looked as though the visitors could cling to an unlikely point when they managed to head into the half-time break level at 0-0. Then, Ronaldo took over. He smashed home a trademark free-kick to break the deadlock four minutes after the break, before Tevez doubled the advantage not long after. Ronaldo added his second in the 69th minute and would go on to complete his first Old Trafford hat trick two minutes before full time. |
