Like he was never away: Cristiano Ronaldo picks up where he left off at Man United

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA 

Man Utd 4 Newcastle 1

The prodigal son followed the perfect script as he celebrated his return to Manchester United with two goals in front of an ecstatic Old Trafford crowd.

Ronaldo could hardly have dreamt of a better comeback as he picked up where he left off 12 years ago.

His double, a long-range screamer from his Portuguese pal Bruno Fernandez and a late strike by Jesse Lingard helped United overcome a stubborn and well-organised Newcastle team and maintain their promising start to the season.

After all the pre-match hype and excitement, the first half was almost an anti-climax until Ronaldo struck in added time to give United the lead. It was one of the least spectacular goals of his amazing career but no-one inside Old Trafford cared.

When Freddie Woodman spilled Mason Greenwood's shot Ronaldo was there in the six-yard box to tap the ball in.

It underlined what he has become now in the latter stages of his career - a penalty area predator rather than the fleet-footed winger who first arrived at United in 2003.

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce had said his team would attempt to spoil the party and they did just that 10 minutes into the second half with a fine breakaway goal.

Miguel Almiron's surging run saw him split open the United defence. He picked out Alain Saint-Maximin who fed the overlapping Javier Manquillo and he beat David De Gea with a fine first-time shot.

But Ronaldo didn’t take long to come came to the rescue - about six minutes to be precise. After a superb pitch move, he raced into Luke Shaw’s through ball to fire a shot that went through Woodman’s legs.

That put United back in charge and Fernandez - who helped persuade Ronaldo to re-join United after hard-up Juventus were forced to sell - sealed the points with the best goal of the game.

For once Newcastle allowed him too much time and space and he punished them with a 25-yard shot that rocketed into the top corner.

Ronaldo didn't complete his hat-trick - his only one in the Premier League actuallyu came agianst the Geordies back in 2008 - but Jsubstitute Jesse Lingard put the gloss on the day with a fine finish in added time.

That's 10 goals in two home games for United this season and with Ronaldo back in the fold their punters can surely look forward to plenty more goal-fests.

MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): De Gea 7; Wan-Bissaka 7, Varane 7, Maguire 7, Shaw 7; Pogba 8, Matic 7; Greenwood 7(Martial 84, 5), Fernandes 7 Can De Beek 84, 5), Sancho 6 (Lingard 65, 7); Ronaldo 8.

Subs not used: Lindelof, Bailly, Mata, Fred, Dalot, Heaton.

NEWCASTLE (5-4-1): Woodman 7; Manquillo 6 (Murphy 76, 5), Hayden 6, Lascelles 6, Clark 6 (Lewis 83, 5), Ritchie 6; Almiron 7, Willock 6, S Longstaff 6, Joelinton 5; Saint-Maximin 7.

Subs not used: Schar, Hendrick, Krafth, Fernandez, Darlow, Gayle, White.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.