Ronaldo Masterclass Sinks Spurs

Saturday 12th March 2022 - 5.30pm

Match Report

Manchester United 3 – 2 Tottenham

Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester

Competition: English Premier League

"Pre-Match Thoughts – Huge game in the race for top 4! There's increasing concern for Skipp as he's ruled out yet again with a groin injury that's said to be puzzling Spurs' medical staff. Sessegnon is also injured. It must be incredibly frustrating for him as he's had a good run of games, but just can't seem to stay fit. It looks like Ronaldo is set to return for United, I wish he wasn't as he always seems to score against us...

There's a belief amongst Spurs fans that we're going to get a result here. That's often a worrying sign, but I can see why - Conte has had that vital week of preparation on the training ground, and we often perform well against teams that put us on the back foot. I'd LOVE to be right in predicting that we win 3-1."

No surprises with the line-up, as the only change from the Everton game was Reguilón replacing Sessegnon.

12' Goal. Varane laid it into Fred who flicked it first time with the outside of his boot past Bentancur to Ronaldo, he was allowed time to take a touch to control and another to set himself before blasting from distance, just out of reach of Lloris into the top left corner. 1-0.

18' Davies found Reguilón out wide, he played inside to Son, Son slipped it through to Davies who'd continued his run and found himself in one-on-one, he slotted it away into the near post from close range, but looked over to the linesman to see his flag raised and the goal disallowed for offside. Nice move from Spurs, but Davies was just off.

26' Son curled in a corner that Bentancur flicked it on at the near post, Dier was there at the far post to head at goal, but Dalot was well positioned to head it off the line.

Dier picked up a yellow for halting Ronaldo kicking off a counter in the middle of his own half. Fair enough, it was a yellow, but Pogba had just done exactly the same to Bentancur in a more threatening position literally a minute earlier and gotten away with it...

34' Kulusevski took it by Sancho down the right side and attempted a cross, it was blocked by the arm of Telles and the ref awarded Spurs a penalty.

35' GOAL! The ever reliable Kane stepped up and smashed it into the bottom left corner. Another perfect penalty from him, and Spurs back on level terms! 1-1.

38' Goal. Sancho broke in down the left side, latching onto a chipped Matic ball over the defence, he looked offside as he ran onto it and squared for Ronaldo who passed it by Lloris first time from six yards, but VAR showed that Reguilón was slow stepping up and had played him onside. 2-1.

"Thoughts at Half-Time – You could argue we've been the better side, but we've paid the price for sloppy defending and facing an on-fire Ronaldo. Dier should have closed him down for the opener, and Reguilón should have been more alert to the offside trap for the second. We go into the break behind, but Conte will be encouraged by how we've been able to open them up when going forward. Let's hope we come out and turn the result around, as we need to if we're going to achieve top four."

61' Højbjerg intercepted a stray Sancho pass in the middle and was quick to find Kane, he played a lovely ball right to Kulusevski who looked to be on for the shot just inside the area but opted to square it to Son, he struck it first time but it was wide of the post. Chance wasted.

72' GOAL! Romero played it into Kane, with his back to goal on the edge of the area he did brilliantly to hold off a defender and eventually release it to Son. He looked up and played it out left to Reguilón who took it to the byline before smashing it across the face of goal where Maguire attempted to clear but diverted it into his own net. 2-2.

77' Ronaldo almost found his hat-trick as he squeezed in a toe-poke from the edge of the area, but Lloris was aware to it and dived to turn it behind for a corner.

78' Kulusevski made way for Moura.

82' Goal. Ronaldo's inevitable hat-trick arrived as Sancho swung in a corner and Ronaldo lost Romero, leaped above Doherty, and headed into the back of the net. 3-2.

85' Disgusting slide tackle from Pogba on Kane, he made no attempt to play the ball and was lucky to get away with just a yellow. Kane hobbled off for treatment. Pogba should already have been on a yellow after pulling down Bentancur in the first half.

"Thoughts at Full-Time – That one hurt. Put to the sword by a rampant Ronaldo, he always turns up against us. Spurs looked dangerous going forward, but we lacked end product and were punished at the other end. That all but ends our hopes of top 4, and intensifies questions as to whether Conte and Kane will be with us next season. A sad day for Spurs, and now they have to pick themselves up to face Brighton on Wednesday."

Tottenham Player Ratings

• 1. Hugo Lloris – 6 – First goal was too powerful and just out of his reach, second clipped off his leg but was too close range for him to be blamed, had little chance with the third either. Made a couple of decent saves.

• 4. Cristian Romero – 5 – Strong in the tackle as per. Good work going forward to find Kane and continue on into the box in the build up for our second. Lost Ronaldo for their third though, it was too easy for him from a corner.

• 15. Eric Dier – 5 – Should have closed down Ronaldo for the opener. Wasted a free-kick in a promising position, straight into the wall. Overhit a few of his long passes out of the back. Had a good header cleared off the line.

• 33. Ben Davies– 5 – Unlucky to see his goal ruled out for offside as he'd done well to give and go. Struggled to make an impact otherwise.

• 2. Matt Doherty – 5.5 – Did some good things going forward but struggled defending up against an in-form Sancho. Seemed to tire in the second half and had a few poor moments with his crossing and passing. Perhaps should have done better against Ronaldo for his header too.

• 5. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 7.5 – Looked keen to get us back into the game, won the ball a lot and was constantly showing for it, picking it up and passing it on.

• 30. Rodrigo Bentancur – 5.5 – Not his best performance. Dived in and got done by Fred for the opener. Made a strong sliding challenge on Pogba getting the man and the ball which made his mark on the midfield, but then some of his passing was way off. Looked a bit timid in there today.

• 3. Sergio Reguilón – 6.5 – Slow to step up and played Sancho onside for the second as a result. Made up for his mistake by putting in the cross that Maguire diverted into his own net. Good to see him working hard and making a last ditch sliding tackle on Sancho to prevent him making it four right at the end.

• 21. Dejan Kulusevski – 7 – Excellent work down the right side to win the penalty. Looked a threat every time he got on it. Unfortunate to have been subbed off.

• 7. Son Heung-min – 5 – Disappointing effort when laid off to him by Kulusevski. Nice ball out wide for Reguilón that led to our second. Lost his footing on more than one occasion. Didn't look 100% again.

• 10. Harry Kane – 6.5 – Frustrating night for him as he had a lack of service and was swarmed every time he was on the ball. Made no mistake with his penalty and showed strong hold up play for our second, but on the whole things just didn't go his way.

Substitutions:

• 21. Dejan Kulusevski ⬅ 78' ➡ 27. Lucas Moura – 4 – Came on and ran with it clumsily into players.

• 33. Ben Davies ⬅ 87' ➡ 23. Steven Bergwijn – N/A – Didn't have enough time to make an impact.

• 30. Rodrigo Bentancur ⬅ 88' ➡ 8. Harry Winks – N/A – Floated one decent ball in for Reguilón that he didn't manage to get on the end of.

Man of the Match – Cristiano Ronaldo