There was a lot of excitement buzzing around Old Trafford on Saturday as Ronaldo prepared to make his return to that pitch after 12 years.
And it just had to be. The man who knows how to be in the right place at the right time got his return debut goal on the stroke of half-time against Newcastle, sending the crowd into a frenzy. They were happy to see the 36-year-old back in the red number 7 shirt, doing what he does best which is score goals and do everything that’s needed to win.
It was a poachers goal, but in the second half he also got a well taken second as United went on to win the match 4-1. It has been an interesting period for Manchester United over the past 10 years, with lots of change, many up and downs, but along with his talent and predatory goalscoring abilities, the main thing that Ronaldo bring is a winning mentality that can uplift a team.
It is reported that before the game he gave a speech to the players and backroom staff: “‘You need to eat, sleep and fight for this club. Whether you play or do not play, you need to support your teammates and always give 100 per cent for the club. I am here to win and nothing else. Winning brings us happiness. I want to be happy, do you?”
The biggest focus for United if they want to go for the title like they should, is to learn how to control the full 90 minutes of football. They often lose some control and then become shakey at the back. This will give the opponents too much confidence and belief that they can beat United. This is a team that has the attacking forces and needs to make sure all lines are in contact when they defend.
In midweek in the Champions League, Ronaldo opened the scoring again against Young Boys with another instinctive run and finish through the goalkeeper’s legs as he did at the weekend. It looked like United were going to go on and get more goals but after a dangerous tackle and red card the game changes and Young Boys ended up as 2-1 victors after a mistake from Lingaard.
Luck wasn’t on United’s side on the night, but as we know, Ronaldo is a born winner and will do his best on and off the pitch to make sure his team can perform at their best, and even if they’re not playing well he is the type of player who will always come up with some magic to score a goal when the game is going against you.
Next United travel to London to play West Ham and yet again it’s expected that all eyes will be on the main man Ronaldo and how he can motivate the players around him and bring his goals back to the Premier League. #mmlove