Player Ratings: Ronaldo breaks record, as Man Utd overcome trio’s struggles to sink Tottenham

Cristiano Ronaldo broke the record for the highest number of goals scored by an individual player at club level when almost single-handedly hauling Man Utd to victory over Tottenham.

After a tentative opening 10 minutes from either side, Man Utd burst into life through the returning Cristiano Ronaldo. A cheeky flick round the corner from Fred created a yard of space for Ronaldo 25 yards out. After taking a touch to settle himself, the Portuguese icon rifled the ball into the top corner to make it 1-0.

Spurs levelled from the spot when Harry Kane emphatically converted a penalty won by Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede had beaten two markers down the right before seeing his cross strike Alex Telles’ arm.

United quickly regained the lead when Jadon Sancho sprung the offside trap. The forward raced down on goal before squaring to Ronaldo to thump home.

The second half passed with little to report before Harry Maguire continued his nightmare season with an own goal. The under-fire centre-half slashed at a Sergio Reguilon cross to leave David de Gea stranded in goal.

But Ronaldo was to have the last laugh when thundering home the winner from a corner on a record-breaking evening for the sporting legend.

Man Utd

David de Gea: Little to do before picking the ball out of the net from Kane’s penalty. Dived the right way but the kick was well placed and struck with venom. Helpless for Maguire’s own goal. 6/10

Diogo Dalot: Struggled with whether to track the marauding Son in-field or pass him onto his teammates. The indecision allowed Son the freedom of Old Trafford for much of the first half. Improved his score when expertly positioned to head a Dier effort off the line. Maguire’s own goal had its roots down his side through Reguilon and was booked soon after for a high challenge. 5

Raphael Varane: The most composed of United’s rearguard, yet he too struggled with how to deal with Kane and Son at times. United’s defence repeatedly dropped off Kane, allowing the striker to pick up the ball unchallenged and turn in acres of space. Outmuscled by Kane in the build-up to the second equaliser. 6

Harry Maguire: Looked vulnerable to the pace and movement of Son but never lacked for effort. Prodded into his own net when slashing at a Reguilon pull-back. Another miserable evening. 4

Alex Telles: Conceded the penalty that led to Spurs’ equaliser when blocking a cross with an outstretched arm. Stuck to his task well and frustrated Doherty throughout. 6

Fred: Lovely flick to grab an assist for Ronaldo’s thunderbolt. Given a mountain of work to do in the engine room with fellow midfielder Matic struggling throughout. The Brazilian is a lightning rod for criticism at times but he rarely put a foot wrong today. 7

Nemanja Matic: Breezed past by Son early on in a worrying sign of what was to come. Looked laboured in midfield against the more energetic Hojbjerg and Bentancur. Gave it his all and a lack of effort can’t be levied at the Serbian. But at 33, his best days have clearly been and gone. 4

Marcus Rashford: Virtually anonymous throughout on a big opportunity to impress. On this showing, United won’t be missing much if speculation over the forward’s summer exit comes true. 4

Paul Pogba: Looked lively playing where Bruno Fernandes would normally operate and linked the play well with his fellow attackers. Faded after the break, though was not alone in United colours in that regard – apart from the man up top. 7

Jadon Sancho: A handful of neat tricks and dribbles early and always looked capable of causing problems. Outmuscled and nutmegged by Kulusevski in the passage of play that led to Spurs’ penalty but put that to one side when grabbing an assist for Ronaldo’s second. He deserves credit for his perfectly timed run that caught Reguilon stepping up on that occasion. 7

Cristiano Ronaldo: Trademark brilliance to open the scoring when beating Lloris from distance. The goal tied the all-time record for club goals from an individual player with 805 strikes, per FIFA records. Set the new benchmark late in the first half when slotting past Lloris after Sancho showed awareness to square to the open man.

Bagged his hattrick with his last touch when powering home a header from a corner. Replaced by Lindelof to a standing ovation around Old Trafford with his job done and another world record now his. 10 (Man of the match)

Pick that one out! 🎯

Cristiano Ronaldo unleashes an absolute thunderbolt to give #MUFC the lead! ⚡ pic.twitter.com/3EEm3fjq0T

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 12, 2022

Substitutes:

Anthony Elanga (On for Rashford, 68m): 6

Edinson Cavani (On for Matic, 80m): N/A

Victor Lindelof (On for Ronaldo, 83m): N/A

Tottenham

Hugo Lloris: Could do nothing about Ronaldo’s opener and beaten at close range for the second. 6/10

Cristian Romero: Remains the classiest of Spurs’ backline but could do little to prevent either of United’s first-half goals. Guilty of losing Ronaldo from the corner for the winner. 6

Eric Dier: Saw vociferous United penalty appeals waved away after blocking a Ronaldo strike with his arm. Replays suggested his arm was in a natural position and a spot-kick would’ve been harsh. 

Guilty of not closing Ronaldo down when allowing the striker to shoot from distance for the opener. Came close to levelling the scores from a corner but saw Dalot head his effort off the line. His first half continued to fluctuate wildly when booked for halting a Ronaldo-led counter-attack. 6

Ben Davies: Beat De Gea with a neat near-post finish but saw the offside flag curtail his celebrations. Continued to bomb forward from left centre-back to overload United’s right and cause all manner of problems. 7

Matt Doherty: Lucky not to be punished when caught under the flight of a long ball to Sancho. Wasteful with his delivery at times after a string of stellar recent showings. Beaten by Ronaldo in the air for the winner, but only after Romero lost his man first. 4

Livramento to Tottenham with 2 players in exchange

Tino Livramento linked to Tottenham this summer with 2 Spurs players to go to Southampton in return

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Competed well and helped Spurs to win the possession stakes in the first half. Further established his dominance in the midfield in the second half and can count himself unlucky to be on the losing side. 8

Rodrigo Bentancur: Beaten by a Fred flick in the build-up to United’s opener. Kept his composure and bedded in well alongside Hojbjerg as Spurs dominated the midfield, if not the scoreline. 6

Sergio Reguilon: Played Sancho onside in the build-up to United’s second goal when laboured in stepping out. Like Doherty, struggled to find his range with balls into the box for Kane and co, though did play the cross that led to Maguire’s own goal. 6

Dejan Kulusevski: Slow start but grew into the game down Spurs’ less favoured side. Showed great tenacity when outmuscling then nutmegging Sancho before his cross won a penalty. Already looking a smart piece of transfer business. 8

https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1502708523511304200

Son Heung-min: Caused all manner of problems with clever movement repeatedly confounding United’s players. Impact faded after the break and was denied an opportunity to test De Gea. 7

Harry Kane: Neat interplay as we’re accustomed to seeing but perhaps guilty of overplaying at times. Passed up a superb shooting opportunity on the edge of the area when searching for a miracle through ball instead.

Kept his cool from the spot when emphatically dispatching a penalty to make it 1-1. 7

Substitutes: 

Lucas Moura (On for Kulusevski, 78m): N/A

Harry Winks (On for Bentancur, 88m): N/A

Steven Bergwijn (On for Davies, 88m): N/A